outskirts
UK: ˈaʊtskɜːts | US: ˈaʊtskɜːrts
n. the outer areas or edges of a city, town, or place
n. (figuratively) the periphery or less central aspects of a subject or activity
The word "outskirts" combines "out," meaning "external" or "beyond," with "skirts," derived from Old Norse "skyrta" (shirt) and later metaphorically extended to mean "edges" or "borders" (like the hem of a garment). By the 16th century, "skirts" was used to describe the fringes of geographic areas, and "outskirts" emerged to emphasize the outermost limits of a settlement. The term retains its spatial logic, vividly framing urban expansion as fabric stretching outward.
They built their house on the outskirts of the village.
The factory is located on the northern outskirts of the city.
Her research focuses on the outskirts of mainstream science.
Wildlife thrives in the wooded outskirts of the town.
The café sits just beyond the outskirts, offering a quiet escape.