suburbs <p>Compactly developed or developing, usually residential, areas on the outskirts of a central city; distinguished from central cities by their more homogeneous socio-economic and physical character, although rarely is there an identifiable boundary between suburbs and central cities.</p> <p>Source: AAT</p> <p><a href="http://vocab.getty.edu/page/aat/300000874">http://vocab.getty.edu/page/aat/300000874</a></p>