City: Definition, Usage, and Examples

Meaning 1：large urban center (city)

city 🔊

/ˈsɪti/

A very large and important place where many people live and work, with tall buildings, roads, shops, and many facilities.

City definition illustrated with a modern urban skyline at dusk, showing skyscrapers, roads, and people.

large urban center 🔊

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/lɑːrdʒ ˈɜːrbən ˈsɛntər/

A city is a very large and important settlement where many people live and work, having tall buildings, extensive infrastructure, and cultural facilities.

📁 Category：Buildings & Places 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'civitas' (citizenship, community), via Old French 'cite', replacing the original English 'burg'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'CITY' as 'Central Intersection of Traffic and Youth'—a busy hub of movement and energy.

📖 Example

When she first arrived in the city, she was amazed by the tall skyscrapers and bright lights everywhere. 🔊 When she first arrived in the city, she was amazed by the tall skyscrapers and bright lights everywhere.

🔗 Collocations

city center – the central part of a city, typically with shops, offices, and entertainment

city dweller – a person who lives in a city

city council – the elected governing body of a city

🔄 Synonyms

metropolis (n.) – a very large and densely populated city, often the most important in a region

municipality (n.) – a town or city with its own local government

urban center (n.) – the core part of a city where most commercial and cultural activity takes place

🚫 Antonyms

village (n.) – a small community in a rural area, much smaller than a city

countryside (n.) – the rural area outside of towns and cities

🌱 Derivatives

citizen (n.) – a person who lives in a city or town and has certain rights

civic (adj.) – relating to a city or its citizens

civilization (n.) – an advanced stage of human social and cultural development, often associated with cities

📖 Cultural Story

The word descends from Latin 'civitas', which in ancient Rome originally meant the body of citizens, then the community itself. English borrowed it via Old French after the Norman Conquest, gradually supplanting native 'burgh'.