outskirts — the outer areas of a town or city, especially the residential areas
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: the outer areas of a town or city, especially the residential areas
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈaʊtskɜːrts/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother lives on the outskirts where WiFi still thinks it's 1995.
- The factory was built on the outskirts of the town to reduce pollution in the city center.
- On the outskirts, you can still see cows, which is basically free entertainment for city kids.
outskirts
NOUN[/ˈaʊtskɜːrts/]
the outer areas of a town or city, especially the residential areas

The small cottage sits quietly on the outskirts of the busy city.

Hanging shirts on the outskirts, the cold wind hurts!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Outskirts is a compound word formed from 'out' (meaning away or outside) and 'skirt' (meaning edge or border). The term 'skirt' originally referred not only to the garment but also to the action of bordering or surrounding something, making 'outskirts' literally mean the outer edges that surround a place, particularly the peripheral areas surrounding a city or town.
Breakdown
out- (away, outside) + skirt (edge, border, to surround) + -s (plural suffix). The word metaphorically applies the concept of a skirt surrounding a garment to describe the outer regions surrounding an urban center.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother lives on the outskirts where WiFi still thinks it's 1995.”
“The factory was built on the outskirts of the town to reduce pollution in the city center.”
“On the outskirts, you can still see cows, which is basically free entertainment for city kids.”
“Housing prices are much cheaper on the outskirts compared to downtown areas.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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