High street - Definition and Overview

Ilfracombe High Street, Devon, England

High Street, or the High Street is the generic name (and frequently the official name) of the business street of towns or cities in the United Kingdom . The equivalent in the United States of America is Main Street.

Starting at least 10 centuries ago, the word 'high' gradually evolved to also mean something excellent or of superior rank, as evidenced in high sheriff and high society. It was applied to roads as they improved, and the word highway has been recorded from the early ninth century. "High Street" began to be used to describe the thoroughfares containing the main retail areas in villages and towns.

The term "High Street" is often used to describe common stores found on a typical high street, to differentiate them from more specialist or less common outlets. For example, someone might refer to "High Street banks" or "High Street stores".

External link

• World Wide Words Etymology of High Street (http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-hig2.htm)