superblock: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Technical/Formal
Quick answer
What does “superblock” mean?
A very large city block created by closing off smaller internal streets to through traffic.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A very large city block created by closing off smaller internal streets to through traffic.
1. In urban planning, a large urban area treated as a single unit for design or traffic purposes. 2. In computing/data storage, a foundational metadata structure in filesystem organization.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties understand the urban planning term, but it is more commonly used and discussed in American urbanist discourse (e.g., post-WWII US suburban development). The computing term is international technical jargon.
Connotations
Urban sense: Often connotes modernist, car-centric planning; can have negative (sterile, isolating) or positive (pedestrian-friendly, communal) connotations depending on context. Computing: Neutral, purely technical.
Frequency
Low frequency in general discourse. Higher in urban planning, architecture, and computing textbooks.
Grammar
How to Use “superblock” in a Sentence
[verb] + superblock: design, create, plan, form, constitutesuperblock + [verb]: functions, contains, comprises, isolatesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “superblock” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The council aims to superblock the district to reduce rat-running traffic.
- Planners decided to superblock several Victorian terraces.
American English
- The city voted to superblock a portion of downtown for a pedestrian mall.
- They are superblocking the area to create more green space.
adverb
British English
- [Usage is exceptionally rare and non-standard]
American English
- [Usage is exceptionally rare and non-standard]
adjective
British English
- The superblock concept faced local opposition.
- They live in a superblock development from the 1960s.
American English
- The superblock model is common in post-war suburbs.
- A superblock approach was used in the campus design.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in real estate development contexts: 'The developer's proposal turns five city blocks into a single commercial superblock.'
Academic
Common in urban studies, geography, planning: 'The research critiques the social impact of the modernist superblock.'
Everyday
Very rare. Might be used by residents describing their neighbourhood layout.
Technical
1. Urban Planning: A defined term. 2. Computing: A critical data structure: 'The system reads the superblock to mount the filesystem.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “superblock”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “superblock”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “superblock”
- Using it to mean just 'a very big building'. Confusing the urban and computing senses. Using it in general informal conversation where 'neighbourhood' or 'complex' would be understood.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A superblock is a traffic-planning concept where internal roads are closed to through traffic. It can be publicly accessible. A gated community is physically enclosed and access-restricted for residents, often using a superblock layout.
It's unlikely unless you are specifically discussing urban design or your neighbourhood's layout. Most people would say 'a big block' or 'our neighbourhood' instead.
A block is typically bounded by streets on all sides. A superblock is formed by combining several smaller blocks and closing off the streets that used to divide them, creating a much larger interior space.
No, it's a homograph (same spelling, different meaning). The computing term uses 'super-' to mean 'overarching' or 'controlling', referring to the primary block of data that describes a filesystem.
A very large city block created by closing off smaller internal streets to through traffic.
Superblock is usually technical/formal in register.
Superblock: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsuːpəblɒk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsuːpərblɑːk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[none specific to this term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think SUPER (very large) + BLOCK (city block). It's a block that's been super-sized by merging smaller ones.
Conceptual Metaphor
CITY AS ORGANISM (The superblock is a large, semi-autonomous organ or cell within the larger body of the city).
Practice
Quiz
In which field would the term 'superblock' most likely refer to a critical metadata structure?