outskirts
gb/ˈaʊtskˌɚts/ us/ˈaʊtskˌɚts/
B1
English
város széle, perem, periféria
NOUN
B1
1
város széle
B1
perem
B2
Usage pattern:
on the outskirts of [place]
They bought a small house on the outskirts of Manchester.
Vettek egy kis házat Manchester szélén.
The factory was built on the outskirts of town, away from residential streets.
A gyárat a város szélén építették fel, távol a lakóutcáktól.
We stayed in a hotel on the outskirts, then took the train into the center.
Learner examples
I live on the outskirts of the city.
A város szélén lakom.
Their school is on the outskirts of town.
Az iskolájuk a város szélén van.
Common mistake:
Usually used as a plural noun (outskirts), not *an outskirt*. Also, "on the outskirts of" is more natural than "in the outskirts of".
Meaning
outer areas of a town
Collocations
on the outskirts of town
|on the outskirts of the city
|live on the outskirts
|a house on the outskirts
|a village on the outskirts
|the city outskirts
|the outskirts of London
|on the outskirts of Paris
|on the outskirts of a small town
|move to the outskirts
Synonyms
edge (More general; can be the edge of any area, not specifically a city.)
|
suburbs (Residential areas outside the city center; not always as far out as the outskirts.)
|
periphery (More formal and general for the outer boundary of something.)
|
fringe (Emphasizes being at the far edge, sometimes with a sense of being less central.)
Antonyms
city center (The central area of a city.)
|
downtown (The main central business area of a city (especially in North American English).)
|
heart (The most central or important part of a place.)
Themes
places
|travel
|daily_life
|housing
Definition
the area at the edge of a city or town
the parts of a town or city that are farthest from the center; the area around the edge of a place
NOUN
B2
2
Usage pattern:
on the outskirts of [activity/topic/group]
For years he stayed on the outskirts of the music scene, doing occasional gigs.
Évekig a zenei élet peremén maradt, és csak alkalmi fellépéseket vállalt.
The article is mostly about education, with climate change mentioned only on the outskirts of the discussion.
A cikk főként az oktatásról szól, az éghajlatváltozás pedig csak a téma peremén kerül szóba.
New voices were coming in, and the old leaders found themselves on the outskirts of the movement.
Learner examples
She felt on the outskirts of the group.
Úgy érezte, hogy a csoport peremére szorult.
That topic is on the outskirts of our discussion today.
Ez a téma ma csak a megbeszélésünk peremén szerepel.
Common mistake:
Often used metaphorically with "of" (e.g., "on the outskirts of society"). Don’t confuse it with physical distance only.
Meaning
outer or less important part
Collocations
on the outskirts of society
|on the outskirts of the debate
|on the outskirts of politics
|on the outskirts of the movement
|on the outskirts of the conversation
|on the outskirts of the industry
|on the outskirts of the research area
|on the outskirts of the group
Synonyms
fringe (Highlights being marginal or outside the mainstream.)
|
periphery (More formal; stresses being outside the main focus.)
|
margins (Emphasizes being excluded or less visible/important.)
Antonyms
mainstream (The central or most common part of a group or activity.)
|
center (The core or most important part.)
Themes
society
|communication
|education
Definition
the far edge of something, or not fully involved in it
the outer, less central, or less important part of an area, group, topic, or activity
Grammar
Dictionary form
outskirts
IPA
GB/ˈaʊtskˌɚts/
US/ˈaʊtskˌɚts/
Syllables & stress
out - skirts (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (out)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: outskirts
- Plural: outskirts
Word family
Expressions
on the outskirts (of [place])
1/ˈɔn ðə ˈaʊtskˌɚts əv plˈeɪs/
fixed phrase
located at the outer edge
not in the center; near the edge of a city or town
Examples
- Their new apartment is on the outskirts of the city.
- We stopped at a café on the outskirts before driving into town.
- The airport is on the outskirts of Madrid.
Learner examples
- My house is on the outskirts of town.