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urbanize

[ ur-buh-nahyz ]
/ ˈɜr bəˌnaɪz /
See synonyms for: urbanize / urbanized on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), ur·ban·ized, ur·ban·iz·ing.

to make or cause to become urban, as a locality.

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Also especially British, ur·ban·ise .

Origin of urbanize

First recorded in 1635–45; urban + -ize

OTHER WORDS FROM urbanize

ur·ban·i·za·tion, nounnon·ur·ban·ized, adjectiveo·ver·ur·ban·ize, verb, o·ver·ur·ban·ized, o·ver·ur·ban·iz·ing.un·ur·ban·ized, adjective

Words nearby urbanize

urbanistic, urbanite, urbanity, Urban IV, urbanization, urbanize, urban legend, urban myth, urbanology, urban renewal, urban sociology
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to urbanize

sophisticate, metropolitanize

British Dictionary definitions for urbanize

urbanize

urbanise

/ (ˈɜːbəˌnaɪz) /

verb (tr)

(usually passive)
  1. to make (esp a predominantly rural area or country) more industrialized and urban
  2. to cause the migration of an increasing proportion of (rural dwellers) into cities

Derived forms of urbanize

urbanization or urbanisation, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012