metropolis

American  

[mi-trop-uh-lis] / mɪˈtrɒp ə lɪs /

noun

PLURAL

metropolises

1. any large, busy city.

2. the chief, and sometimes capital, city of a country, state, or region.

3. a central or principal place, as of some activity.

   the music metropolis of France.

4. the mother city or parent state of a colony, especially of an ancient Greek colony.

5. the chief see of an ecclesiastical province.

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metropolis British  

/ mɪˈtrɒpəlɪs /

noun

1. the main city, esp of a country or region; capital

2. a centre of activity

3. the chief see in an ecclesiastical province

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Etymology

Origin of metropolis

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin mētropolis < Greek mētrópolis a mother state or city, equivalent to mētro-, combining form of mḗtēr mother ¹ + pólis -polis, polis

Example Sentences

Below the domes and spires of a colonial metropolis, a discernible transfer of power is evident, as khadi-clad Congress volunteers outnumber pith-helmeted policemen and army soldiers.

From BBC

The city's population density is more than 7,100 people per square kilometre of land, on par with packed metropolises like Tokyo.

From Barron's

The southern Indian city was not always an overrun metropolis.

From Barron's

India's historic city of Ahmedabad will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, a landmark event for a metropolis that is a power centre for some of the country's most influential politicians.

From Barron's

As Southern California transformed from frontier to metropolis, the desert changed from obstacle to destination.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• capital
• downtown
• municipality