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free city

American

noun

a city having an independent government and forming a sovereign state by itself.

free city British

noun

a sovereign or autonomous city; city-state

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of free city

First recorded in 1610–20

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.

Mamdani, a state lawmaker for New York's Queens borough, appealed to voters by pledging to tackle the soaring cost of living, offering free city bus travel, childcare and city-run grocery stores.

From Barron's • Nov. 5, 2025

She liked his specific policy proposals, like fast and free city buses, and his specific plans to make those proposals happen.

From Salon • Oct. 30, 2025

The city began charging for some of its parking spaces, which spurred employees of local businesses to use nearby free city lots, freeing up curb spaces for customers.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2025

Staff, volunteers and neighbors who love Rainier Beach’s Kubota Garden work to maintain the free city landmark as it welcomes more visitors than ever before.

From Seattle Times • May 7, 2023

Those gates looked so close ... and if the talk in the slave pens could be believed, Meereen remained a free city for the nonce.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023