Meaning & use
dorps
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“dorps” is a form of “dorp”.
Meanings
nounplural
Small towns or villages, especially in rural South Africa.
Grammar: Plural of dorp; the singular is used for one town.
Patterns
- dorps in something
We drove through several sleepy dorps on the way to the coast.
The farmers sold their produce in the surrounding dorps.
Many of the old dorps have a single church and a general store.
nounpluralinformalhumorous
Small places regarded as quiet, dull and far from city life, used in a light, joking way.
Grammar: Informal and often affectionate or teasing.
She grew up in one of those dorps where everyone knew your business.
They traded the city for the quiet of the dorps.
The band toured the dorps of the Karoo.
Word forms
| singular | dorp |
|---|
Common combinations
- sleepy dorps
- We passed a string of sleepy dorps.
- small country dorps
- Small country dorps dot the highway.
- dusty dorps
- The road crosses a few dusty dorps.
- dorps and farms
- The region is mostly dorps and farms.
Synonyms and how they differ
- villages
- Villages is the general English word, while dorps is distinctively South African.
- small towns
- Small towns is neutral, while dorps adds a local color and sometimes an affectionate sense of quietness.
- hamlets
- Hamlets are even smaller than villages and usually lack a church, which dorps do not imply.
Opposites
Word family
- dorp noun
- singular form
- dorpie noun
- affectionate diminutive for a tiny town
- dorpsplein noun
- Afrikaans for village square
Commonly confused: dorps or dorks?
dorps vs dorks
Dorks are awkward people in slang; dorps are small towns.
Practice
The road to the coast winds through a few sleepy ____ with one shop each.
Choose one answer.
Dorps are small rural towns. Metros and cities are large, and suburbs are parts of cities.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dorps”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.