townsfolk

plural noun

towns·​folk ˈtau̇nz-ˌfōk How to pronounce townsfolk (audio)

Examples of townsfolk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And when agriculture was the biggest, if not only, industry of the region, predicting the weather became something of a ritual viewed as essential to the health of crops and townsfolk. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 2 Feb. 2024 Groundhog meat eventually left the menu of Punxsutawney establishments as the townsfolk realized his worth. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 2 Feb. 2024 Gentrification has transformed this former backwater into a favorite artsy getaway for wealthy folks from the mainland—particularly lesbians—fostering more than a little resentment among the original townsfolk. Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 29 Dec. 2023 In other words, these are commoners: townsfolk, friars, merchants and scholars, among others. Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023 The townsfolk wandered into the streets with wide eyes, wondering what had happened, as power tended to fail only in big winter storms. Christopher Ketcham, Harper's Magazine, 1 Nov. 2023 The dread disease arrived in the summer of that year; before long, the townsfolk needed to add a new graveyard. WIRED, 7 Oct. 2023 This isn’t good enough for a lot of the townsfolk, who are still angry over the tragedy. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Nov. 2023 Brushfires were constantly burning as a result — all around Peshtigo and throughout the Upper Midwest — and the townsfolk had become used to the constant smoke in the air. Elisa Neckar, Discover Magazine, 13 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'townsfolk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of townsfolk was in 1592

Dictionary Entries Near townsfolk

Cite this Entry

“Townsfolk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/townsfolk. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

townsfolk

noun plural
towns·​folk ˈtau̇nz-ˌfōk How to pronounce townsfolk (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on townsfolk

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