open city

noun

1. a city that, during a war, is officially declared demilitarized and open to occupation, and that will consequently not be defended, in order to spare it, under international law, from bombardment or other military attack.
2. a city or autonomous city-state that gives equal access and status to inhabitants and visitors without regard to religious, ethnic, racial, or national affiliation.

Word History and Origins

Origin of open city¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

His Nigeria book, Every Day is For the Thief, was actually written in 2006, prior to Open City.

From The Daily Beast

It is an open city, an island surrounded by sea, and being a trading city, it welcomes outsiders.

From The Daily Beast

Teju Cole's disquietingly powerful debut Open City does none of the above.

From The Daily Beast

An hour later he approached the second or open city of Aisi, where the ferry was across the channel.

From Project Gutenberg

In my great-grandfather's time there had been no roof here; the open city was exposed to all the inclement weather.

From Project Gutenberg

I interrupted the Seor Blas here, asking him if Valencia was not an open city?

From Project Gutenberg

In Europe, it has long been a rule of military morals, that no open city shall ever be bombarded.

From Project Gutenberg

At Rome, finding himself helpless in an open city, the emperor conceived the idea of invoking the power of the supernatural.

From Project Gutenberg