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suburbio

suburb

noun soo-BOOR-byoh Rare

Origin: From Latin suburbium (near the city), from sub- + urbs (city).

Also means

slum

Usage Note

Suburbio is a partial false friend: in Latin American Spanish it often denotes a poor, run-down area on the outskirts of a city (closer to 'slum' than the neutral English 'suburb'). The neutral equivalent of the English 'suburb' is usually barrio residencial or afueras. In Spain the negative connotation is also present.

Examples

"Creció en un suburbio al sur de la ciudad."

Natural Translation

He grew up in a suburb to the south of the city.

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