urbanize

[ ur-buh-nahyz ]

/ ˈɜr bəˌnaɪz /

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.

RELATED WORDS

sophisticate, metropolitanize

Nearby words

urbanist, urbanistic, urbanite, urbanity, urbanization, urbanize, urbanology, urbi et orbi, urbiculture, urc, urceolate

Also especially British, ur·ban·ise.

Origin of urbanize

First recorded in 1635–45; urban + -ize

Related forms

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for urbanize

urbanize

urbanise

/ (ˈɜːbəˌnaɪz) /

verb (tr)

(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

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