High Street, or "the High Street" is the generic name (and sometimes 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.
