DictionaryAI

city

noun · City noun
SI-tee/ˈsɪt.i/SIT-ee/ˈsɪt.i/

Pluralcities

5 meanings of city

Practice

  1. 1
    big settlementnouncountable
    A large town, or a place officially called a city even if it is small.

    Like a town, but much bigger and busier.

    Millions of people live and work in this city.

    Big cities often have busy streets and tall buildings.

    UsageThe city can mean big-town life: move to the city.

    Similarmetropolis

    Oppositecountry, countryside

    Note
  2. 2
    nouncountable
    The government that runs a city, or all the people who live there, thought of as one group.

    The city is going to fix the potholes on our street next month.

    The whole city came out to cheer when the team won.

    Note
  3. 3
    nounAustraliacountable
    The main business area in the center of a town, full of offices and shops.

    Like the busy heart of a town, where most of the work happens.

    We live in the suburbs of Sydney and take the train into the city.

    Traffic into the city is always heavy on weekday mornings.

    UsageSay into the city or in the city.

    Similardowntown, center

    Oppositesuburbs

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    huge amountnounslanguncountable
    A huge amount of something, said right after the thing you mean.

    Like saying a place is packed with one thing: 'fun city' means lots of fun.

    After the test results came in, it was stress city for everyone.

    When the bus broke down, it was boredom city for three hours.

    UsageSay it's + thing + city: stress city.

    Note
  2. 5
    London financenoun · CityBritishbritish
    The old center of London, or the banks and money businesses based there, thought of as one group.

    The City was worried when the pound fell sharply overnight.

    Her brother left university and got a job in the City.

    UsageWrite the City, with a capital C.

    Note

Practice

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Origin

It came through Middle English and Old French from Latin, where the word first meant "citizenship" or "the citizens" and came from a word for "fellow-citizen." It replaced the older English word that became "borough."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 5 facts