urban
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or designating a city or town.
densely populated urban areas.
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living, located, or taking place in a city.
urban rooftop gardening.
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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.
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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.
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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
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of, relating to, or constituting a city or town
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living in a city or town
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(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
Derived 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
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East Asia - Middle School
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East Asia - Introductory
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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.
Amy Bass, a sports studies professor at Manhattanville University, said that New York's urban landscape just fits with basketball.
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
The Fish and Wildlife spokesperson said people can help avoid attracting more wildlife into urban areas by removing attractants from their homes.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
"They are definitely becoming a feature in our landscape and are spreading from the countryside to the urban environment," says Bronya Seifert of Daisy Cake Company.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
Pundits framed his campaign as a blueprint for Republican revival in urban America.
From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026
A lot of people gave up on Newark, and the city became synonymous with urban decay, unemployment, and poverty.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
