town dwellern.
/ˈtaʊn ˌdwɛlə/, U.S. /ˈtaʊn ˌdwɛlər/ A person who lives in a town, (now) esp. as opposed to the countryside.
ΘΚΠ
society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabitant > inhabitant according to environment > town- or city-dweller > [noun]
borough-manc1000
city mana1400
townsman1433
town manc1475
town dweller1484
oppidan?1548
burgher?1555
townsfolk1562
townsfolk1592
townswoman1612
town liver1620
town folk1679
citess1685
citizeness1754
citizette1798
townie1825
urban1835
townskip1837
townsperson1840
urbanite1892
burgheress1901
1484 W. Cely Let. 25 Mar. in Cely Lett. (1975) 205 Sarten town dwellers off Calles hathe ben at Brugys.
1550 in J. Strype Eccl. Memorials (1721) II. App. QQ. 142 To take their answers, and the proofs of the said town-dwellers.
a1627 T. Middleton More Dissemblers besides Women iv. ii, in 2 New Playes (1657) 53 Th' unhous'd race of Fortune-tellers May never fail to cheat Town-dwellers.
1692 R. Gardiner Compl. Constable 49 A Town-Dweller, which is convict to sit Tipling in any Inn..shall forfeit Ten Groats.
1767 E. Frothingham Key Door Connecticut 169 How much profane swearing, not only among the seafaring tribe, but town dwellers, children, and servants.
1846 Fisher's National Mag. Nov. 529 It is folly to assume the alarmist tone respecting the multiplication of town-dwellers.
1891 C. T. C. James Romantic Rigmarole 2 No jaded town-dweller..would grudge the few shillings.
1912 Times 19 Oct. 7/3 The ignorance of town-dwellers about the elementary facts of rural economy is astounding.
1938 D. Thompson Polit. Guide xii. 116 The average town dweller, unlike his ancestors, lives in one, two or three rooms and a kitchenette.
2002 J. A. Williams Appalachia iv. 235 Like many town dwellers with roots in the country, the Dodsons grew food as well as ornamentals in their urban front yard.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2014; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1484