Origin: Latin prefix sub-
Suburban has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
A person who lives in a suburb.
"The suburban resident enjoyed her quiet morning coffee on the porch overlooking the neighborhood park."
In plain English: A suburban is someone who lives outside of a city center but still within its surrounding areas.
"The new development was designed to accommodate thousands of suburban families looking for more space than they could find in the city center."
Relating to or characteristic of or situated on the outskirts of a city.
"The family moved from the busy downtown area to a quiet suburban neighborhood on the outskirts of the city."
In plain English: Suburban describes things related to residential areas located just outside of a city center, usually featuring single-family homes and more space than downtown neighborhoods.
"We live in a quiet suburban neighborhood with small houses and tree-lined streets."
Usage: Use suburban as an adjective to describe areas located just outside a city center, such as suburban neighborhoods or suburbs housing developments. Avoid confusing it with urban when referring specifically to residential zones surrounding metropolitan centers rather than the dense core itself.
The word comes from the Latin suburbanus, which literally meant "near the city." It entered English in the 17th century to describe areas located just outside a town or city center.