1. plural of township; divisions of a county for local government purposes, typically in rural areas
Usage: primarily used in the United States
2. plural of township; residential areas in South Africa that were designated for non-white populations during apartheid
Usage: South African context; historical

Examples

• The county is divided into twelve townships for administrative purposes.
• Rural townships often have their own fire departments and road maintenance crews.
• Many townships in the Midwest follow the traditional grid system of land division.
• The townships around Cape Town face ongoing infrastructure challenges.
• Local elections were held in several townships last month.
• Each of the townships has its own elected board of trustees.