city
noun
a large or important town.
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Citi.
city
American
[sit-ee]
/ ˈsɪt i /
noun
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cities
plural
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a large or important town.
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(in the U.S.) an incorporated municipality, usually governed by a mayor and a board of aldermen or councilmen.
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the inhabitants of a city collectively.
The entire city is mourning his death.
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(in Canada) a municipality of high rank, usually based on population.
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(in Great Britain) a borough, usually the seat of a bishop, upon which the dignity of the title has been conferred by the crown.
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the City,
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the major metropolitan center of a region; downtown.
I'm going to the City to buy clothes and see a show.
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the commercial and financial area of London, England.
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a city-state.
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(often initial capital letter) 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
British
/ ˈsɪtɪ /
noun
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any large town or populous place
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(in Britain) a large town that has received this title from the Crown: usually the seat of a bishop
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(in the US) an incorporated urban centre with its own government and administration established by state charter
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(in Canada) a similar urban municipality incorporated by the provincial government
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an ancient Greek city-state; polis
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the people of a city collectively
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(modifier) in or characteristic of a city
a city girl
city habits
City
2
British
/ ˈsɪtɪ /
noun
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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)
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the area in central London in which the United Kingdom's major financial business is transacted
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the various financial institutions located in this area
Usage
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.
Synonym Usage
See community.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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minicitynoun
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outcitynoun
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subcitynoun
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citylessadjective
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citylikeadjective
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intercityadjective
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procityadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of city
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” ( cf. civil ( def. )) + -tās -ty 2
Explanation
A city is an area in which a large number of people live fairly close together. Cities usually have their own separate governments and systems for maintaining and providing utilities and transportation. A city is basically a big town — the population is large in relation to the amount of land, since people often live in apartments or multi-family housing. The largest city in the world today is Shanghai, China. You can also call the residents of a city as a whole a city: "The city voted to increase recycling." City comes from the Latin civitatem, "citizenship," or "community of citizens," from the root civis, "citizen."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Once little more than a dirt path used by prospecting gold miners, it later became one of the country’s first pedestrian-only promenades when the city closed it off to traffic in the 1970s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026
From his aerie, Phil Weiser has a sweeping view of the city skyline, the gold-domed Capitol and, occasionally, a red hawk on the wing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
Hundreds of schools will be closed on Monday, according to city authorities.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
Instead, people are encouraged to enjoy fungi where they are found, whether in Birmingham city parks, the woodlands of Cannock Chase, Sutton Park or the Wyre Forest.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
That night, Father Monaghan climbs to the roof of the university’s tower and looks out onto the city.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
A crucial 1-0 victory over rivals Arsenal on Sunday meant they extended their WSL unbeaten run to 12 games and sit just two points off leaders Manchester City.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
Sad times for a school that had coaches Jerry Cord and Chuck Schwal competing for City titles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
The season premiere opened Saturday with Ramy Youssef reprising his role as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, delivering an update on the nor’easter battering the East Coast before James Austin Johnson’s Trump arrived unexpectedly.
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
The French striker missed their opening two matches with a minor injury but scored on her debut against Birmingham City and caused havoc against Arsenal.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
It was in New York City, at Leah’s home, that Kate’s second son, Henry Jencken Jr. was born in the first months of 1875.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Other cities stress convenience rather than romance, setting up registration offices in central locations such as banks and subway stations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026
"There are people who can't afford to live in cities, rents are out of step with salaries," she said, describing the eviction of Maricarmen as "the last straw".
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
He says the fanfare in Frankfurt is "crazy", with fans always wanting to take pictures with him, but adds he is equally as well known in large cities such as Berlin and Hamburg.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
Photographs in the installation — some taken by Ali’s husband, Masahiro Sugano — capture Ali dressed as the bug in cities all over the world.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
Each is remembered with monuments, memorials, and cities named in his honor.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
