What does township mean?
A township is primarily a local administrative division, especially in the United States, where townships commonly function as county subdivisions governed by elected officials. Unlike a town or village, which names a settlement, a township is a defined area of government and may contain one or more populated communities. The word also has an important history in South Africa, where it was used for many areas established under the apartheid system for Black residents. In Canada, a township may be a municipal subdivision of a county or a geographical survey unit. Historical British records use the word for a parish subdivision containing several villages or hamlets. Because its meaning depends heavily on legal and regional context, township should not automatically be understood as a synonym for town. In American contexts, the word usually carries a formal civic meaning, while in South African discussions it may carry historical associations with segregation and unequal services.
nounA local administrative division, especially in the United States, typically governed by a township board. The term also refers to historically designated communities in South Africa and to subdivisions of a county or parish in Canada and Britain.
- In the United States, a local government unit, usually a subdivision of a county, governed by elected township officials.
- In Canada, a municipal subdivision of a county or district, often corresponding to a survey township.
- In South Africa, an urban community or area that may be identified as a township; historically, the term designated many areas established for Black residents under apartheid.
- In historical British usage, a division of a parish consisting of several villages or hamlets.
"The township approved plans for a new community center and road improvements."
"Residents of the township voted on whether to replace the aging township hall."
"During apartheid, townships were designated for South Africa's non-white population."
The regular plural is used when referring to multiple administrative divisions or communities.
"Several townships border the national forest."
Despite its nautical-looking ending, a township has nothing to do with ships: “-ship” came to denote a community or collective identity.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does township come from?
Township is an English formation built from town and the suffix -ship, which represents an Old English word meaning a state or condition. The suffix later came to be used for communities or groups sharing a common condition or status, as in friendship or kinship. Township consequently developed the sense of a community considered collectively and later a territorial or administrative division.
How township is actually used
In American English, the term is especially common in Midwestern and northeastern states and often denotes a formally organized rural local-government area. In South Africa, historical usage frequently concerns racial segregation under apartheid, whereas modern references may describe urban municipal communities officially called townships. British usage is now chiefly historical.
Easily confused with township
A town is a populated settlement, whereas a township is a defined administrative area that may contain a town, village, or other communities.
A village is a small settlement, while a township is an administrative division that can include one or more villages.