The term RELATIVE OF A SHANTYTOWN can be summarized as a SLUM, which is a four-letter word. A SLUM is an area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor. Slums are often associated with poverty, overcrowding, and crime. Slums are usually found in developing countries, but they can also be found in some developed countries. Slums are often considered to be the relatives of shantytowns, which are informal settlements made up of makeshift houses.