princeton

princeton — noun

1. a borough and its surrounding township in west-central New Jersey, USA, best kno

1.noun
Definition

a borough and its surrounding township in west-central New Jersey, USA, best known as the seat of Princeton University, an Ivy League institution founded in 1746; the town lies roughly halfway between New York City and Philadelphia.

Example

The conference was held on the Princeton University campus in early autumn.

preposition: on + [institution] campus

Eitan and his family moved to Princeton when his father got a job there.

collocation: move to [town]

Common collocations
  • in Princeton
  • from Princeton
  • to Princeton
  • at Princeton
  • Princeton campus
  • Princeton graduate

Grammar Patterns

be located in + Princeton

move to + Princeton

Princeton + noun

Usage Note

In everyday conversation, 'Princeton' often refers to Princeton University rather than the town itself. Context usually makes the meaning clear.

Common Mistakes

Prince ton is a famous university.
Princeton is a famous university.
The town name is spelled as one word, not two.

Word family

  • Princetonian
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Princeton' as a place name refers to both the town and the university, while 'Princeton University' specifies the institution. 'Ivy League' names a group of eight elite northeastern US universities that includes Princeton, but it does not refer to the town itself. 'New Jersey' is the state that contains Princeton; using 'New Jersey' alone does not identify the town or the university. In context, 'Princeton' alone can serve for either the town or the university — for example, 'She went to Princeton' means the university, while 'He lives in Princeton' means the town.

Princeton ↗Princeton UniversityIvy LeagueNew Jersey

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • Princeton University
  • Princeton campus
  • Princeton graduate
  • Princeton area

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Princeton was named in the early 18th century after Prince William of Orange, later King William III of England. The name blends 'Prince' (referring to the prince) with the Old English word 'tūn', meaning 'town' or 'enclosed settlement'. The original settlement was referred to as 'Prince's Town', which over time contracted to 'Princeton'.