city
noun
a large or important town.
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
-
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
-
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:
“Vegas is so known for hospitality, and we really wanted to highlight the way the city can take care of people,” Statsky says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
"We know that the city is proud of them, and this major mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and fabric maintenance project will restore them to their absolute best," he added.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
He also vowed to end rough sleeping during his almost-decade long stint as mayor of the northern city of Manchester, but ultimately failed despite some initial success.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
The city is grandiose enough that there are even ways for filmmakers to put their own spin on its more conventional sights and sounds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
“Not St. Louis. Chicago. Or New York. Black folks don’t have to spend their life working in a city for someone else.”
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
He ran into several people he had known over his long political career, including former Los Angeles City Councilmember Jan Perry, and Brian Kito, the third-generation owner of the Fugetsu-Do Bakery.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
It was a Friday in 2015 and she had just finished her workday in New York City.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
They risk becoming like New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whom Florida’s Chamber of Commerce crowned “Florida’s Economic Developer of the Year” for inducing New York City wealth to move south.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
I think about the memories with Denzel and with Tony, and getting to live in Mexico City for six months when you’re 9 years old is pretty spectacular.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
With Kate and Mother busy in New York City, Leah felt it was time to take the spirits on tour once again.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
A huge wrinkle is that larger cities and metro areas benefit from economies of scale that help insulate them: they can afford dedicated OT security staff and redundant control systems.
From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2026
The U.S. should offer cities and businesses access to our markets in exchange for being transparent.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
Which cities should we visit, and in what order?
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
Endorphins Running, which I run with, started in 2022 in New York City before expanding to other cities, including Los Angeles, where it hosts runs twice a week in Santa Monica.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
The Allied bombing of German cities remains a controversial subject, especially in areas where no military or industrial sites were targeted.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
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.
