Neighborhoods

/ˈneɪbərˌhʊdz/

nounBeginner🔥Very CommonGeneral
1 meaning2 idioms/phrases3 questions

Definitions

1

A district or area within a city or town, defined by specific characteristics (e.g., residential, commercial, or cultural).

/ˈneɪbərˌhʊdz/

nounneutralBeginner
General

Areas within a town or city

The children played in the neighborhood park.

💡 Simply: A neighborhood is like a part of a city or town, like a bunch of houses and places close to each other. It’s the area where you live or where you go to school or play.

👶 For kids: A neighborhood is a bunch of houses or buildings that are near each other.

More Examples

2

The local businesses thrived in the friendly neighborhood.

3

The new community center benefits several neighborhoods.

How It's Used

Urban Planning

"The city is investing in revitalizing several downtown neighborhoods."

Real Estate

"We are looking for houses in safe, family-friendly neighborhoods."

Synonyms & Antonyms

Idioms & expressions

in the neighborhood of

Approximately; about.

"The cost was in the neighborhood of $100."

neighborhood watch

A community program in which residents look out for each other and report suspicious activity to the authorities.

"Our neighborhood is very safe because of the neighborhood watch."

From Middle English *neigheborhede*, derived from *neighebour* (neighbor) + *-hede* (hood, -ness). The word's meaning evolved from a group of people living nearby to a geographical area with specific characteristics.

Historically, the term 'neighborhood' was used to describe a close-knit community or group of people living near each other, evolving over time to include the physical area they occupied.

Memory tip

Think of where you live, the streets, the houses, the people around you – your neighborhood.

Word Origin

LanguageMiddle English
Original meaning

"neighbor + -hood (state or quality of)"

safe neighborhoodresidential neighborhoodurban neighborhoodquiet neighborhoodlocal neighborhood

Common misspellings

neighbourhoodsneghborhoodsneiborhoods

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written