market town

American

noun

a town where a regularly scheduled market is held.

market town British

noun

a town that holds a market, esp an agricultural centre in a rural area

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of market town

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Following a tip-off, Noble headed to the police station in the historic market town of Aylsham, more than an hour's drive from Andrew's home.

From BBC

This close-knit, historic market town struggled to comprehend events, and many of its residents will remember the sight of Lilia's tiny white coffin, adorned with butterflies, passing through its streets.

From BBC

Yet Ben doesn't live in rural woodland but in a block of flats on a fairly busy road in the market town of Horsham in West Sussex.

From BBC

This trend appears to have become an issue in more affluent areas of Cleveland, like Yarm, a pretty market town a short drive from Stockton.

From BBC

She pushed for Buxton to have a town council and for repairs to its many potholes - as Britain's highest market town, the weather often leaves its mark.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023