urban

[ur-buhn]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or designating a city or town.

   densely populated urban areas.

2. living, located, or taking place in a city.

   urban rooftop gardening.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

urban

/ ˈɜːbən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or constituting a city or town

2. living in a city or town

3. (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

• antiurban adjective
• nonurban adjective
• semiurban adjective
• unurban adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of urban¹

First recorded in 1610–20; from Latin urbānus, equivalent to urb- (stem of urbs ) “city” + -ānus adjective suffix; -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of urban¹

C17: from Latin urbānus, from urbs city

Example Sentences

The trail feels like a hidden urban oasis, secluded yet right in the middle of everything.

From Salon

Poor waste management and unchecked urban development had worsened the situation, officials said.

From BBC

Hundreds of thousands of residents have fled the territory's biggest urban centre, where a famine was confirmed last month by a UN-backed body.

From BBC

She’ll sublimate her own romantic heartache in urban renewal and other good works.

From Los Angeles Times

She says they are being plagued by "an urban street gang made up of quite a high number of young girls".

From BBC

Related Words

• civic 
• civil 
• downtown 
• metropolitan