Definitions
01rural settlement
A1 · Beginner Countable noun
n. a small group of houses and buildings in the countryside.
n. a small human settlement in a rural area, typically larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town.
日本語:村※
“They live in a quiet village where everyone knows their neighbours.”
“The remote village was accessible only by a narrow winding road that became impassable during the heavy winter snows.”
Synonyms
02planned community
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun American English · British English
n. a group of buildings designed for a specific purpose, like a retirement home or shopping area.
n. a planned residential or commercial community, such as a retirement village or a themed shopping district.
日本語:ビレッジ※
“My grandparents moved into a retirement village where they have medical support.”
“The developers designed the Olympic village to be converted into affordable housing once the international competition concluded.”
03gated community
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal · Dialect
n. a private, often expensive, area of houses with a gate or security.
n. an exclusive, often gated, residential subdivision or housing development.
“The family lives in a luxury village with a private security guard at the entrance.”
“The expansion of exclusive gated villages has created a stark physical divide between different socio-economic groups in the city.”
Teaching tip
This sense is particularly common in the Philippines and parts of South Asia to describe upscale residential areas.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “village” in context.
Etymology
From Middle English village, from Old French village, from Latin villāticus, ultimately from Latin villa (English villa). Broadly overtook Old English wic, þorp, and ham. The Philippine sense is due to its frequent use in the names of gated communities.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Related words
Idioms
01. Potemkin village
The word in film
The Village · 2004 · Mystery
- Directed by:
- M. Night Shyamalan
- Starring:
- Sigourney Weaver, Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody
Director M. Night Shyamalan tells the story of a small, isolated community living in the 19th-century countryside. The residents of this rural settlement live in fear of mysterious creatures that inhabit the surrounding woods.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/village
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0