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Definition of burb

burb

/bɜːrb/
burb
Plural:burbs
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burb Lexical Profile

burb Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American An informal or colloquial term for a suburb, an outlying residential district of a city (usually used in the plural, 'the burbs').

Example

"After their second child was born, they traded their downtown loft for a quieter house out in the burbs."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for burb
Antonyms
View all antonyms for burb

Word Nuance & Usage

Most commonly used in the plural form ('the burbs') to refer collectively to suburban residential areas outside a major city.

• Rhymes for burb

• Nearby Words

buphthalmum
bupkis
bur oak
burb
burberry
burble
burbot

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in late 20th-century American slang by clipping the first syllable from 'suburb', which itself derives from Latin 'suburbium' (from 'sub-' meaning 'under' or 'near' and 'urbs' meaning 'city').

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Burb. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/burb
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