Freetown

7 3.5

A coastal capital and largest city of Sierra Leone

proper noun

: Freetown

Tourists are flocking to Freetown to experience its vibrant culture and beautiful beaches.
Freetown, Sierra Leone
city of Freetown
tradition in Freetown

And people just reported that there was cheering from the rooftops as he was flown in on a helicopter into Freetown.

Examples

Government ministers and senior officials seldom venture outside the capital city, Freetown, where they drive around in luxury SUVs paid for with international aid money.

Academic text (2005)
Make them hear you in Freetown.

Blood Diamond (2006)
There will be 24 waiting in Freetown.

The Dogs of War (1980)
My wallet, my credentials, everything got left in Freetown.

Blood Diamond (2006)
In early June and again in July 1990, he agreed to take part in peace talks in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Academic text (1996)
In a small school in Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, Rosaline Smith begins to deliver her campaign speech.

Blog text (6)
In Sierra Leone, Revolutionary United Front forces have been sighted... ...within 10 kilometers of the capital city of Freetown.

Blood Diamond (2006)
The conference will be held in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone.
After a long journey, we finally arrived in Freetown, eager to explore the city.

Surface Forms

Freetown main

Morphology

Freetown = free + town (semi-transparent) = free + town

Compound of 'free' + 'town'; components are transparent but as a toponym it is lexicalized and functions as a name rather than a descriptive noun phrase.

Etymology

Freetown comes from the words free and town, meaning a 'town' for people who were 'free' after being slaves. It was founded by freed people, and that's why Freetown is now the capital and main port of Sierra Leone.