neighborhood

The word “neighborhood” means a district within a town or city, especially one where people live. In plain terms, a local area and the people who live there.

“Neighborhood” is pronounced NAY-buh-huud (/ˈneɪbɚˌhʊd/ in IPA).

Here is “neighborhood” used in a sentence: “We grew up in a quiet neighborhood on the edge of town.”

Words with a similar meaning to “neighborhood” include neighborship, vicinity, proximity and quarter.

“Neighborhood” is a noun.

“Neighborhood” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Neighborhood” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a district within a town or city, especially one where people live.

A neighborhood is a physical area — a defined district within a town or city, usually where people live. A community is a group of people connected by shared interests, values, or identity, who may or may not live in the same place. A neighborhood can host a community, but a community isn't tied to geography.

Neighborhoods are often described by their character: residential neighborhoods where people mainly live, commercial or business districts, and mixed-use areas that blend both. They're also grouped as urban, suburban, or rural, and sometimes by history or income — think historic quarters, gated communities, or working-class districts.

Both spellings are correct — they're the same word. 'Neighborhood' is the American English spelling, while 'neighbourhood,' with a 'u,' is standard in British English and other Commonwealth countries. The pronunciation and meaning are identical; only the written form changes depending on which regional standard you follow.

Famous examples include Greenwich Village in New York, Notting Hill in London, or Le Marais in Paris. On a smaller scale, any named residential area counts — the streets around your local school, a suburban housing estate, or the block where you grew up all qualify as a neighborhood.