urban
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or designating a city or town.
densely populated urban areas.
-
living, located, or taking place in a city.
urban rooftop gardening.
-
characteristic of or accustomed to cities; citified.
He’s an urban type—I can’t picture him enjoying a whole week at our cabin in the woods.
-
of or relating to the experience, lifestyle, or culture of African Americans living in economically depressed inner-city neighborhoods.
Their first album had a hard, urban vibe.
-
Offensive. (used as a euphemism for Black or African American, rather than in reference to cities or their residents).
a drug problem that particularly impacts the urban residents in this small town.
adjective
-
of, relating to, or constituting a city or town
-
living in a city or town
-
(of music) emerging and developing in densely populated areas of large cities, esp those populated by people of African or Caribbean origin Compare rural
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of urban
First recorded in 1610–20; from Latin urbānus, equivalent to urb- (stem of urbs ) “city” + -ānus adjective suffix; see -an
Explanation
Use the adjective urban to refer to cities or people who live in cities. It carries a suggestion of grittiness––urban style involves darker colors. The terms city and town are sometimes used inconsistently. If it is large enough, a town is considered to be an urban area. Communities where people live outside cities are called suburban. Urban is from a Latin adjective formed from urbs "city."
Vocabulary lists containing urban
Donald Trump Inauguration Address- January 20, 2017
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
East Asia - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
East Asia - Introductory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
His company, California Forever, has raised about $1 billion from investors, assembled top urban planners and won over state leaders including Gov. Gavin Newsom.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
Cities out of compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency could get off that naughty list, and urban residents would no longer need annual inspections on their car emission systems.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
That exacerbated one of the leading obstacles to EV acceptance, so-called range anxiety, experienced when EV drivers doubt that chargers will be available for them on long trips, especially beyond urban areas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
Police have used tear gas and other means to try to control what the authorities have described as "urban violence".
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
Halliday’s Easter egg gradually moved into the realm of urban legend, and the ever-dwindling tribe of gunters gradually became the object of ridicule.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
