bostonians, the: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, journalistic, historical, and sociocultural.
Quick answer
What does “bostonians, the” mean?
The inhabitants of Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The inhabitants of Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
A collective term for the people, culture, and society of Boston, often implying distinctive cultural attributes, social attitudes, or historical identity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British usage, it is a purely referential term for residents of an American city. In American usage, it carries strong socio-cultural and historical weight, and is far more common.
Connotations
UK: Neutral, foreign. US: Loaded with regional identity, history, pride, and often local stereotypes (intellectual, parochial, sports-fanatic).
Frequency
Extremely rare in everyday British English except in specific historical or travel contexts. Common in American media, history, and cultural discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “bostonians, the” in a Sentence
The Bostonians + verb (e.g., 'The Bostonians celebrate.'), Adjective + Bostonians (e.g., 'wealthy Bostonians')Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bostonians, the” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A - Not used as a verb.
American English
- N/A - Not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A - No adverbial form.
American English
- N/A - No adverbial form.
adjective
British English
- N/A - The adjectival form is 'Bostonian'. (e.g., Bostonian architecture)
American English
- N/A - The adjectival form is 'Bostonian'. (e.g., Bostonian pride)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in context of Boston-based companies or market demographics.
Academic
Common in historical, sociological, and cultural studies discussing American urban society.
Everyday
Used in news, sports commentary, and general discussion about the city and its people.
Technical
Not applicable in a technical sense.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bostonians, the”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bostonians, the”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bostonians, the”
- Using a singular verb: 'The Bostonians is proud' (incorrect) vs. 'The Bostonians are proud' (correct).
- Omitting the definite article 'the' in formal reference: 'Bostonians celebrated' is possible, but 'The Bostonians celebrated' is more standard for the collective.
- Capitalization error: writing 'the bostonians'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always, but commonly. 'The Bostonians' refers to them as a collective group. 'Bostonians' without 'the' is also correct but can feel slightly less formal or specific.
A Bostonian (one person from Boston).
Yes, 'The Bostonians' is a novel by Henry James (1886), satirizing Boston society and the women's suffrage movement.
Yes. For example: 'Bostonian culture', 'Bostonian accent'.
The inhabitants of Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Bostonians, the is usually formal, journalistic, historical, and sociocultural. in register.
Bostonians, the: in British English it is pronounced /bɒˈstəʊ.ni.ənz/, and in American English it is pronounced /bɔːˈstoʊ.ni.ənz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms specific to the term. It is often part of titles, e.g., 'The Bostonians' (Henry James novel).]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the famous 'Boston Tea Party' – the Bostonians were the people who took part.
Conceptual Metaphor
A COLLECTIVE IDENTITY (The Bostonians as a single entity with shared traits). A HISTORICAL LEGACY (The Bostonians as carriers of tradition).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best captures the extended meaning of 'the Bostonians'?