Environs

/ɪnˈvaɪrənz/ noun

Definition

The areas or districts surrounding a place, especially those near a city or town.

Etymology

From French 'environs,' plural of 'environ,' originally meaning 'surroundings.' The word entered English in the 16th century as a geographic term.

Kelly Says

When people say 'Paris and its environs,' they mean the suburbs and countryside around it. The word is still common in geography and urban planning, but it sounds a bit formal and old-fashioned in everyday speech!

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