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July 16, 2021 Word of the Day

settlement /ˈsɛtl̟mənt/ noun
settlement
/ˈsɛtl̟mənt/
noun

plural settlements

Small settlement in the Annapurna region of Nepal
Small settlement in the Annapurna region of Nepal
Definition of SETTLEMENT

1 a [count] : a formal agreement or decision that ends an argument or dispute

  • I got the house in the divorce settlement.

  • The parties have not been able to reach/negotiate a settlement in the case.

  • an out-of-court settlement [=an agreement made to avoid a court case]

also : an amount of money that someone receives as part of such an agreement

  • a cash settlement

  • a settlement of two million dollars = a two-million-dollar settlement

1 b [singular] : the act or process of settling an argument or disagreement

  • We were hoping for a quick settlement of the dispute between the neighbors.

2 [noncount] : the act of paying back money that is owed — often followed by of

  • the settlement of our debts

  • He paid $20,000 in settlement of a loan.

3 a [count] : a place where people have come to live and where few or no people lived before

  • English settlements in North America

  • This was the island’s first colonial settlement.

3 b [noncount] : the act or process of moving to a new area or place to live there : the act or process of settling an area or place — often followed by of

  • The rifle played a big role in the early settlement of North America.

3 c [count] : a small village

  • They came upon the ruins of an ancient settlement.

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