city
see also: City
Etymology

From Middle English cite, from Old French citet, from Late Latin civitas, in cl. - "citizenry", derived from cīvis, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱey-.

Pronunciation
  • IPA: /ˈsɪti/
    • (RP) IPA: [ˈsɪtʰiː]
    • (Northern England, Conservative RP) IPA: /sɪtɪ/
    • (America, Australia) IPA: /ˈsɪti/, [ˈsɪɾi]
Noun

city (plural cities)

  1. A large settlement, bigger than a town; sometimes with a specific legal definition, depending on the place.
    São Paulo is the largest city in South America.
    • c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act I, scene i], page 147 ↗, column 2:
      Ah, knovv you not the Citie fauours them, / And they haue troupes of Souldiers at their beck?
    • 1908, W[illiam] B[lair] M[orton] Ferguson, chapter IV, in Zollenstein, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC ↗:
      So this was my future home, I thought! […] Backed by towering hills, the but faintly discernible purple line of the French boundary off to the southwest, a sky of palest Gobelin flecked with fat, fleecy little clouds, it in truth looked a dear little city; the city of one's dreams.
  2. (UK) A settlement granted special status by royal charter or letters patent; traditionally, a settlement with a cathedral regardless of size.
  3. (Australia) The central business district; downtown.
    I'm going into the city today to do some shopping.
  4. (slang) A large amount of something (used after the noun).
    It’s video game city in here!
Related terms Translations
City
Proper noun
  1. (soccer, informal) Manchester City Football Club, an English football club.
    City will reportedly look to have a fee for Aguero.
Proper noun
  1. (UK) The City of London, the historic core of London where the Roman settlement of Londinium was established.
  2. (UK) The United Kingdom's financial industries, which are principally based in the City of London.
  3. (New York) The borough of Manhattan, the historic core of New York.
  4. Any of several other cities in metropolitan areas (such as San Francisco).
Synonyms Related terms
  • (London) Hammersmith & City
Translations
  • French: City
  • Russian: Сити



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