municipal

American  

[myoo-nis-uh-puhl] / myuˈnɪs ə pəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to a town or city or its local government.

   municipal elections.

2. Archaic. pertaining to the internal affairs of a state or nation rather than to international affairs.

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noun

1. a municipal bond.

municipal British  

/ mjuːˈnɪsɪpəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to a town, city, or borough or its local government

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Other Word Forms

• intermunicipal adjective
• municipalism noun
• municipalist noun
• municipally adverb
• nonmunicipal adjective
• nonmunicipally adverb
• premunicipal adjective
• quasi-municipal adjective
• quasi-municipally adverb
• supermunicipal adjective

Etymology

Origin of municipal

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin mūnicipālis, from mūnicip-, stem of mūniceps “citizen of a free town” (from mūni(a) “duties” + -ceps, combining form of capere “to take”; prince ) + -ālis -al ¹

Explanation

A municipality refers to a village, town, or city that's usually governed by a mayor and council. From this noun, we get the adjective municipal, which you can use to describe something that relates to a town or its government. Your town's city council may have offices in the municipal building downtown. If you want to fight city hall, that would be the place to go. Municipal also more generally describes anything related to the town or city itself. If you live within the city limits, for example, your house may be hooked into the municipal water supply, but if you live outside the city limits you may have to have your own well.

Example Sentences

"When I started applying for municipal contracts with the City of Chicago, they wanted me to pay for projects upfront and get reimbursed later. But I didn't have the capital," Traci explains.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

If I do return, I would likely seek work in a church, nonprofit, or municipal role.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

If I do return, I would likely seek work in a church, nonprofit or municipal role.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

In their absence, the three remaining candidates pounded on a wide array of municipal ills, including broken sidewalks, high rents and sluggish housing production.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

Fronted by a lush lawn and palm trees, the Union Passenger Terminal had opened in 1954, an art deco-style building once aspiring to grandness but since overtaken by a certain grey municipal malaise.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers