= borough-town, n. Also attributive.

(a) a town ruled by a mayor; (b) Scottish a farm or piece of land held by a mair (see sense 1a) by right of his office.

In 14th to 16th centuries sometimes used for the suburbs of a city, the portion lying outside the wall. Cf. contemporary use of French bourg.

A town which is a borough. Cf. burrows-town, n. (Scottish).

Originally = borough, n.; now restricted to denote a town in Scotland possessing a charter. (The earlier English instances will be found under borough…

a town possessing a municipal corporation, an incorporated town.

a Scottish burgh which derives its charter directly from the Crown; see also convention of (royal) burghs at convention, n. 5b(a).

†(a) = county town n. (obsolete); (b) a large borough ranking as a county for administrative purposes.

A town, city, or district having local self-government; the community of such a town, etc.

any one of four English boroughs that have a royal connection; used chiefly in their official titles.

= county borough n. (b) at compounds 7. rare.