municipality
Americannoun
-
municipalities
plural
-
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Inherit the Wind
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
A Clockwork Orange
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
"I think there is a genuine enthusiasm for us being able to continue our important work," he said after casting his ballot in his home municipality of Strangnas.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
Nice follows earlier work in Deshaies, Guadeloupe, which received recognition in 2023, and Cannes, which became the first municipality in mainland France to receive it in January 2024.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 2026
On September 2, the southwestern municipality of El Granado reached 45.7C, equalling the temperature record for the month and marking the highest temperature in Spain this year.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
Hochul has said any municipality or agency that failed to comply with the law would face legal action.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Trina Garnett was the youngest of twelve children living in the poorest section of Chester, Pennsylvania, a financially distressed municipality outside of Philadelphia.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Almost 100 municipalities in the U.S. have ended their Flock contracts in response to public outcry, including several in Texas, such as Bandera and Hood County.
From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026
It said the board is contemplating alternative uses for manufacturing plants in the German municipalities Emden, Zwickau, Hanover and Neckarsulm as current capacity surpasses demand by over 500,000 units.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 4, 2026
Water rationing has been in effect in several municipalities since early August, according to news reports.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 2026
It urged legal changes and funding to help municipalities and cities unseal paved surfaces that store heat and to plant vastly more trees.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
It begins with shock, followed by rage—because cruising ahead of her is a water supply truck owned by one of the various underperforming water municipalities.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
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.
