What does suburban mean?
Suburban means relating to a suburb: a residential area on the outskirts of a city or town. The adjective is also used for people and lifestyles associated with such areas, as in “suburban residents” or “suburban commuting.” It is common in British and American English and often appears in discussions of housing, transportation, planning, architecture, and differences between city centers and surrounding communities. The word can carry social and cultural associations with detached homes, relatively quiet streets, car travel, and middle-class or family households, although suburbs vary greatly in income, density, and lifestyle. Suburban contrasts with urban, meaning connected with a city or city center, and rural, meaning connected with the countryside. The term’s history also shapes its modern usage: it derives from Latin suburbanus, meaning “under the city,” originally referring to territory beneath or outside the walls of a Roman city.
adjectiveRelating to or characteristic of a suburb, especially an area lying on the outskirts of a city or town. It can also describe people who live in suburbs or the lifestyles associated with suburban communities.
- Relating to a suburb or suburban area.
- Characteristic of the people, lifestyle, or appearance associated with suburban communities.
"They moved to a quiet suburban neighborhood after the birth of their second child."
"The exhibition features suburban architecture from the postwar period."
"Many families prefer suburban living because it offers more space and quieter streets."
Suburban helped give us the word suburb: both trace back to the Latin for “under the city.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does suburban come from?
Suburban comes from Latin suburbanus, formed from sub- meaning “under” or “below” and urbs meaning “city.” In ancient Rome, land outside or beneath the city walls could be described as suburban, and English later developed the broader modern sense of relating to an area outside the limits of a city or town. Urban and urbane also derive from the same Latin root, although their present meanings are distinct.
Related word forms
How suburban is actually used
The term is standard in both British and American English. It is often associated with residential areas outside a city center and may suggest a car-dependent, commuter-oriented, or relatively affluent lifestyle, though it should not be treated as a definitive description of everyone who lives in a suburb.
Easily confused with suburban
Urban refers to a city or its inhabitants, whereas suburban refers to an area or population on the outskirts of a city.