Big Apple
Britishnoun
Etymology
Origin of Big Apple
C20: probably from US jazzmen's earlier use to mean any big, esp northern, city; of obscure origin
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.
Katie Rettig arrived in the Big Apple with two 50-pound suitcases, a job starting the next morning and no place to live.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
Although Salt Lake City may not be known for the excitement synonymous with the Big Apple, Leavitt has plenty of drama to keep her busy back in production on “Mormon Wives.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026
So fans in the Big Apple needed a big draft.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
The billionaire certainly isn’t lacking for housing options in the Big Apple, where he owns several dwellings—including an extraordinary penthouse that he bought for $238 million in 2019.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
So it’s the Big Apple for us, a big exciting adventure in our fascinating voyage through life.
From "The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd
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.
