city-state

American  

[sit-ee-steyt] / ˈsɪt iˌsteɪt /

noun

1. a sovereign state consisting of an autonomous city and, especially historically, any dependent settlements or territories.

   The Corinthian order of architecture is named for its legendary origin in the ancient Greek city-state of Corinth.

   Singapore’s role in shaping global entrepreneurship has further strengthened that city-state's position in the world economy.

---

city-state British  

noun

1. a state consisting of a sovereign city and its dependencies. Among the most famous are the great independent cities of the ancient world, such as Athens, Sparta, Carthage, Thebes, Corinth, and Rome

---

Etymology

Origin of city-state

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

A government official in Singapore recently said the city-state has a few months of LNG and diesel fuel supplies, though the exact size is not made public.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

"You have the second densest country in the world, that has virtually uncongested streets," Harvard economist Edward Glaeser said of the city-state.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

The city-state could revisit its forecasts for growth and inflation if necessary.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

Karlshorst's representative in the assembly of the city-state of Berlin, Ukrainian-born Lilia Usik, has over the past two years been trying to ascertain if the buildings can be seized or possibly used to help Ukraine.

From Barron's • Feb. 8, 2026

A city-state is an independent state or nation consisting of a city and its surrounding territory.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz