metropolis

[ mi-trop-uh-lis ]

/ mɪˈtrɒp ə lɪs /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR metropolis ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural me·trop·o·lis·es.

any large, busy city.

the chief, and sometimes capital, city of a country, state, or region.

a central or principal place, as of some activity: the music metropolis of France.

the mother city or parent state of a colony, especially of an ancient Greek colony.

the chief see of an ecclesiastical province.

Nearby words

metropathy, metroperitonitis, metrophlebitis, metroplasty, metroplex, metropolis, metropolitan, metropolitan county, metropolitan district, metropolitan museum of art, metropolitan opera

Origin of metropolis

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin mētropolis < Greek mētrópolis a mother state or city, equivalent to mētro-, combining form of mḗtēr mother¹ + pólis -polis, polis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for metropolis

The town of Liqian sits on the edge of the Gobi desert, 200 miles from any metropolis, and 4,500 miles from Rome.
The Chinese Town Descended From Romans?|Nina Strochlic|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But in New York City, a metropolis with an abundance of concrete and very few fields of grass, a far more subtle display appears.
How the Circus Got a Social Conscience|Justin Jones|November 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The 30-something heroine glamorized the metropolis and its coveted name brands, Arora says.
How Brooklyn Invaded Paris—Next Stop, the World|Brandon Presser|October 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The co-owner of Metropolis Collectables, Vincent has Wolverine mutton chops, a Tony Stark goatee, and Lex Luthor swagger.
The Holy Grail of Comic Books Hid in Plain Site at New York Comic Con|Sujay Kumar|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST

All we really know so far is that there will be a football match between Gotham City University and Metropolis State University.
The Super-Stuffed Superhero Movie|Chancellor Agard|December 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
His influence also became more powerfully felt in the metropolis than before.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 3|Various
In this manner, he literally sang his way until within a few miles of the metropolis.
The Black Baronet; or, The Chronicles Of Ballytrain|William Carleton
The rapid extension of Christianity in the metropolis of the empire enhanced the influence and dignity of the Roman bishops.
The Catacombs of Rome|William Henry Withrow
In all cases, whether in the metropolis or in the provinces, a police imposes an immediate and heavy burden on all householders.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine - Volume 55, No. 343, May 1844|Various
That may be very good Dutch Flat poetry, but it won't do in the metropolis.
Sketches New and Old, Complete|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

British Dictionary definitions for metropolis

metropolis

/ (mɪˈtrɒpəlɪs) /

noun plural -lises

the main city, esp of a country or region; capital

a centre of activity

the chief see in an ecclesiastical province

Word Origin for metropolis

C16: from Late Latin from Greek: mother city or state, from mētēr mother + polis city

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