outskirts
OUT-skerts
/ˈaʊtskɜːrts/
The outer parts of a town or city.
The transition zone where the city ends and the countryside begins.
The story behind the word. The word 'skirt' originally meant the border or edge of a garment. By the 16th century, people began using it metaphorically to describe the 'skirts' or edges of a forest or a town. 'Outskirts' became the standard term for the very edge of an urban area.
Word relationships
- suburbs: Usually refers to residential areas; 'outskirts' is more general and can include industrial zones.
- periphery: A more formal or technical term for the outer edge.
- city center: The central part of a city.
- downtown: The central business district of a city.
Commonly confused with
- suburbs: Suburbs are specifically where people live; outskirts are simply the physical edge of the town.
Word family
- outskirt (noun): A single part of the outer area (rarely used in singular).
Collocations
- city outskirts
- on the outskirts
- southern outskirts
- industrial outskirts
Example sentences
- "They decided to buy a house on the outskirts of the city to get more space for their money." Describing a living situation.
- "The new shopping mall was built on the outskirts, where there was plenty of room for parking." Describing a location.
Memory hook
You are 'skirting' around the 'out'side of the city. The edge of the city.
When not to use
Do not use for the very center of a city or the deep, remote countryside.
Fun facts
- In many European cities, the outskirts were traditionally where the 'unclean' industries like tanneries were located.
- The term 'skirting board' (baseboard) uses the same 'edge' logic.
Related words
Explore more words
suburb, skyline, urbanization, backcountry, conurbation, district
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.