conurbation

American  

[kon-er-bey-shuhn] / ˌkɒn ərˈbeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. an extensive urban area resulting from the expansion of several cities or towns so that they coalesce but usually retain their separate identities.

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conurbation British  

/ ˌkɒnɜːˈbeɪʃən /

noun

1. a large densely populated urban sprawl formed by the growth and coalescence of individual towns or cities

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Etymology

Origin of conurbation

con- + Latin urb- (stem of urbs ) “city, capital city, Rome” + -ation; coined by Sir Patrick Geddes (1854–1932), Scottish sociologist and city planner, in his Cities in Evolution (1915)

Example Sentences

Then in 2014, fracking for oil and gas started in the surrounding region, and the conurbation boomed.

From BBC

It has, however, been focused mainly in Manchester and the aim of the GM Good Growth Fund is to ensure the benefits are felt across the whole conurbation.

From BBC

"Linton-on-Ouse is not a major conurbation and has limited infrastructure which would struggle to support such an increased number."

From BBC

About 200 miles east of Algiers, Constantine, known to its Numidian founders as Cirta, is today a sprawling conurbation of more than 400,000 people.

From Washington Post

In Yuzhou city, part of Xuchang's conurbation, 1 million residents are already under lockdown, with people in some areas unable to leave their homes.

From Reuters

Related Words

• capital
• center
• downtown
• metropolis
• municipality
• place
• port