banlieue

suburb

noun bahn-LYUH Rare

Origin: Old French ban lieue (league of jurisdiction)

Also means

outskirts

Usage Note

banlieue in France carries strong socio-cultural weight; it often refers specifically to the economically deprived suburban ring around Paris and other cities, giving it a connotation absent from neutral English 'suburb'. The banlieues were at the center of the 2005 riots.

Examples

"Elle habite en banlieue de Lyon."

Natural Translation

She lives in the suburbs of Lyon.

Literal Translation

She lives in suburb of Lyon.

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