municipality
Americannoun
plural
municipalities-
a city, town, or other district possessing corporate existence and usually its own local government.
-
a community under municipal jurisdiction.
-
the governing body of such a district or community.
noun
-
a city, town, or district enjoying some degree of local self-government
-
the governing body of such a unit
Other Word Forms
- intermunicipality noun
Etymology
Origin of municipality
From the French word municipalité, dating back to 1780–90. See municipal, -ity
Explanation
If you live in a town or city that has a mayor or other officials who govern it, you live in a municipality. The word municipality comes from the Latin municipium, meaning "free city." A municipality has its own government, but sometimes municipalities join together to share services. For instance, two neighboring municipalities might decide to share a single recycling center in order to cut costs.
Vocabulary lists containing municipality
Just Mercy
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Inherit the Wind
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A Clockwork Orange
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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.
The municipality is seeking guarantees on timing, compensation and conditions before agreeing to anything.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
The municipality triggered outrage on January 6 when it revealed that no annual safety check had been carried out at the bar since 2019.
From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026
Nine out of 10 residents say their city is unsafe, according to census data, more than in any other municipality in Mexico.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2026
The mayor of Juiz de Fora, Margarida Salomao, said the municipality had experienced its wettest February on record.
From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026
Levittown is not technically a city or any kind of municipality.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
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.
