[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/downtown.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / downtown

[← D](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/D/)

# downtown

«downtown» in Mova's school dictionary: **The main business and shopping area in the centre of a…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

noun (downtown); adjective (downtown); adverb (downtown) — mostly US and Canada

### meaning for a pupil

1) (US, Canada) The main business and shopping area in the centre of a city or town. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#m1)

2) (adverb) To or in the city centre: «go downtown». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#m2)

3) (adjective) In or of the city centre: «downtown Toronto». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In American and Canadian life, «downtown» is where the tall offices, big shops, theatres and stadiums are; British and Irish speakers usually say «the town centre» or «in town», and Australians «the city» or «the CBD». In stories, «heading downtown» means going into the busy centre. Phrases: «go downtown», «downtown area», «downtown Chicago».

### examples

- We took the bus downtown to see the parade. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#x1)
- Dad works in an office downtown. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#x2)
- Downtown Toronto has very tall buildings. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#x3)
- The downtown streets were full of shoppers. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#x4)
- There's a big library downtown. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#x5)
- (UK equivalent) We went into town to buy shoes. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#x6)

### note

Mostly North American. Written as one word. Opposite: «uptown» (residential, often to the north in some cities) or «the suburbs». No «a» before it when used as a place: «go downtown», not «go to a downtown».

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «downtown» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.