■ noun
1》 (in South Africa) a suburb or city of predominantly black occupation, formerly officially designated for black occupation by apartheid legislation.
2》 N. Amer. a division of a county with some corporate powers.
↘a district six miles square.
3》 Brit. historical a manor or parish as a territorial division.
↘a small town or village forming part of a large parish.
4》 Austral./NZ a small town.
5》 S. African a new area being developed for residential or industrial use by speculators.
Origin
OE tūnscipe 'the inhabitants of a village' (see town , -ship ).