Word Origin
See more synonyms for urbanize on Thesaurus.com verb (used with object), ur·ban·ized, ur·ban·iz·ing. to make or cause to become urban , as a locality. Show More
Also especially British ur·ban·ise .
Origin of urbanize First recorded in
1635–45; urban +
-ize Related forms ur·ban·i·za·tion , noun non·ur·ban·ized , adjective o·ver·ur·ban·ize , verb, o·ver·ur·ban·ized, o·ver·ur·ban·iz·ing. un·ur·ban·ized , adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for urbanize (usually passive) to make (esp a predominantly rural area or country) more industrialized and urban to cause the migration of an increasing proportion of (rural dwellers) into cities Show More
Derived Forms 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
Word Origin and History for urbanize v. 1640s, "to make more civil;" 1884 "to make into a city," from urban + -ize ; in the latter sense from French urbaniser (1873). Related: Urbanized ; urbanizing .
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
