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View synonyms for city

city

[ sit-ee ]

noun

, plural cit·ies.
  1. a large or important town.
  2. (in the U.S.) an incorporated municipality, usually governed by a mayor and a board of aldermen or councilmen.
  3. the inhabitants of a city collectively:

    The entire city is mourning his death.

  4. (in Canada) a municipality of high rank, usually based on population.
  5. (in Great Britain) a borough, usually the seat of a bishop, upon which the dignity of the title has been conferred by the crown.
  6. the City,
    1. the major metropolitan center of a region; downtown:

      I'm going to the City to buy clothes and see a show.

    2. the commercial and financial area of London, England.
  7. a city-state.
  8. (often initial capital letter) Slang. a place, person, or situation having certain features or characteristics (used in combination):

    The party last night was Action City. That guy is dull city.



city

1

/ ˈsɪtɪ /

noun

  1. any large town or populous place
  2. (in Britain) a large town that has received this title from the Crown: usually the seat of a bishop
  3. (in the US) an incorporated urban centre with its own government and administration established by state charter
  4. (in Canada) a similar urban municipality incorporated by the provincial government
  5. an ancient Greek city-state; polis
  6. the people of a city collectively
  7. modifier in or characteristic of a city

    a city girl

    city habits

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

City

2

/ ˈsɪtɪ /

noun

  1. short for City of London : the original settlement of London on the N bank of the Thames; a municipality governed by the Lord Mayor and Corporation. Resident pop: 7186 (2001)
  2. the area in central London in which the United Kingdom's major financial business is transacted
  3. the various financial institutions located in this area
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Words From

  • city·less adjective
  • city·like adjective
  • inter·city adjective
  • mini·city noun plural minicities
  • outcity noun plural outcities
  • pro·city adjective
  • sub·city noun plural subcities
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Word History and Origins

Origin of city1

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English cite, from Anglo-French, Old French cite(t), from Latin cīvitāt-, stem of cīvitās “citizenry, town,” from cīvi(s) “citizen” ( civil ( def ) ) + -tās -ty 2
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Word History and Origins

Origin of city1

C13: from Old French cité, from Latin cīvitās citizenship, state, from cīvis citizen
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Synonym Study

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Example Sentences

In between his California commitments, Rife will also make stops in Honolulu, New York City, Montreal, Seattle and St. Louis, among other cities.

Alliance for Human Rights lawsuit against the city and county.

Ms Riley, who lived in the city of Athens, north-east Georgia, was found dead in a wooded area of the UGA campus after she did not return from her morning run.

From BBC

The incentives would apply in single-family zones only if a property is owned by a public agency or a faith-based organization, which accounts for just a sliver of the city’s single-family lots.

Ansar Dine was one of several Islamist militant groups to exploit an ethnic Tuareg uprising to take over cities in northern Mali.

From BBC

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More About City

What is a basic definition of city?

A city is a place where a large number of people live. The word city is also used to refer to all of the people who live in this kind of place or to something that is related to such a place. The word city has more specific meanings, depending on the country.

The plural of city is cities. Generally speaking, a city is a place where a large number of people are gathered together to live and/or work. Cities are typically much larger than places referred to as towns and are known for having homes and apartments placed more closely together than in other places. Different countries have specific definitions of what actually qualifies as a city, but the word is often used generally to describe a place where many people live.

Real-life examples: New York City, Tokyo, Paris, London, Moscow, Beijing, Madrid, and Berlin are examples of major cities around the world.

Used in a sentence: I grew up in the city of Philadelphia.

Playing off of this, the word city is also used to collectively refer to all of the people who live in a city.

Real-life examples: A mayor will often give speeches to the city, meaning the people who live there. A parade or festival will also be organized by a city, meaning the city’s government or the citizens of a city.

Used in a sentence: The city celebrated New Year’s Eve with a big parade. 

The word city is also used to describe something that is related to or has the quality of a city.

Real-life examples: A city library is a library located in and run by a city. A city bus is a bus owned and operated by a city. A city person is someone who grew up in a city or prefers the life of a city.

Used in a sentence: My dad really hates city traffic.

Where does city come from?

The first records of city come from around 1175. It ultimately comes from the Latin cīvitās, meaning “citizenship” or “state,” from the word cīvis meaning “citizen.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to city?

  • cityless (adjective)
  • citylike (adjective)
  • intercity (adjective)
  • inner city (noun)

What are some synonyms for city?

What are some words that share a root or word element with city

What are some words that often get used in discussing city?

How is city used in real life?

City is a common word most frequently referring to a place where a lot of people live.

 

 

Try using city!

True or False?

A city is larger and has more people living in it than a town or village.

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