city

city — noun

1. a very big town with many homes, shops, offices, and places to work

1.nounA1
Definition

a very big town with many homes, shops, offices, and places to work

Example

Theo moved to a big city after finishing university to find a better job.

move to a/the + city for [purpose]

Aiko took the bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka and spent the afternoon exploring Dotonbori's street-food stalls.

concrete scene: named person + specific city + specific action

Common collocations
  • big city
  • major city
  • historic city
  • city centre
  • city dweller
  • city council
  • city government
  • city limits
Synonyms
  • town

    smaller than a city; less formal

  • metropolis

    a very large, important city; more formal and dramatic

  • urban centre

    neutral, descriptive term for any densely built-up area

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the + city

in + a/the + city

a + adj + city

Common Mistakes

I live in a city call Taipei.
I live in a city called Taipei.
the past participle 'called' is needed after a noun to give its name.
City is very crowded in summer.
The city is very crowded in summer.
'city' is a countable noun and needs an article in most singular uses.

2. a UK settlement that became a city because it has a bishop's cathedral, not beca

2.nounB2
Definition

a UK settlement that became a city because it has a bishop's cathedral, not because it is large or got official city status recently

Example

Chester is a historic cathedral city in northwest England with Roman walls.

Leila was surprised that Wells is called a city because it has a beautiful cathedral.

cathedral city as UK-specific concept — cathedral + defines + city status

Common collocations
  • cathedral city
  • historic city
  • ancient city
  • city status
  • royal charter
Synonyms
  • town

    a smaller settlement, but in the UK 'town' can also be used informally for a city

Grammar Patterns

a/the + city + in + [UK location]

city + with + a cathedral

Usage Note

This sense is specific to the UK and Ireland. It refers to a traditional historical status linked to the presence of a cathedral, not to the modern size or population of the town. A settlement granted city status by a royal charter in the 20th century does not necessarily have a cathedral.

Common Mistakes

Every city in the world has a cathedral.
In the UK many traditional cities have a cathedral, but this is not true worldwide.
cathedrals are a specifically British marker of city status, not a global rule.

3. the officials and departments that manage and make decisions for a city, includi

3.nounB1
Definition

the officials and departments that manage and make decisions for a city, including elected members, the mayor, and administrative staff

Example

The city voted to spend an extra two million dollars on public schools.

the city + collective verb (voted / decided / announced)

City officials announced a new recycling programme for all neighbourhoods.

Common collocations
  • city council
  • city government
  • city officials
  • city budget
  • city hall
  • the city voted
  • the city announced
  • city department
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

the city + [singular/plural verb]

the city + [verb of decision or action]

Usage Note

Often used in news reports and official contexts. When 'the city' is the subject of a verb (e.g. 'the city decided', 'the city announced'), it treats the city government as a single decision-making body. The verb can be singular or plural depending on whether you see the government as a unit or as a group of people.

Common Mistakes

The city have decided to close the library.
The city has decided to close the library.
in American English, collective nouns like 'city' are usually singular.

4. the financial district in central London where major banks, insurance companies,

4.nounC1
Definition

the financial district in central London where major banks, insurance companies, and stockbrokers are based; also the financial industry and its workers considered as a group

Example

On Monday morning traders at Barclays on Lombard Street watched their screens as the London Stock Exchange opened.

traders in the City + watched + financial market opening

Yusuf, a currency analyst in the City, checked the FTSE 100 index before his morning coffee.

Common collocations
  • the City
  • the City of London
  • City banker
  • City analyst
  • the City reacted
  • the City predicted
  • the Square Mile
Synonyms
  • the Square Mile

    informal name for the City of London, referring to its small geographical area

  • Wall Street

    the US equivalent — the financial district in New York City

Grammar Patterns

the City (of London)

the City + [singular verb]

Usage Note

Almost always capitalised as 'the City' (or 'the City of London'). It is both the physical district (the Square Mile) and the financial institutions located there. Frequently used as a collective noun: 'The City expects...', 'The City reacted...'. This sense is distinct from the broader meaning of 'London' as a capital city.

Common Mistakes

She works in the city of London.' (meaning the whole capital).
She works in the City of London.' (meaning the financial district).
lowercase 'city' means the whole of London; capitalised 'City' means the historic financial centre.

5. every resident of a particular city viewed collectively, especially when they sh

5.nounB2
Definition

every resident of a particular city viewed collectively, especially when they share an emotion, reaction, or experience together

Example

The whole city celebrated when the local team won the national championship.

the whole city + verb of collective emotion

When news of the earthquake reached the neighbourhood in Sendai, the whole city fell silent for a moment.

Common collocations
  • the whole city
  • the entire city
  • the city celebrated
  • the city mourned
  • the city was shocked
  • the city welcomed
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

the whole/entire + city + [singular verb of emotion or action]

Usage Note

Used as a collective noun treating all residents as a single group with a unified feeling or action. Common with verbs of emotion (celebrated, mourned, was shocked, welcomed) and in news headlines. The pronoun for the city is usually 'it'/'its', not 'they'/'their'.

Common Mistakes

The entire city were celebrating in the streets.
The entire city was celebrating in the streets.
In standard English, 'city' as a collective noun is singular, so the verb should be singular.

6. a town officially granted city status by a government, which gives it special le

6.nounB2
Definition

a town officially granted city status by a government, which gives it special legal powers under a charter

Example

The small town applied to the state government for official city status.

apply for city status

When the population of Oakdale reached ten thousand in 2022, the town council began applying to become a city.

become + a city

Common collocations
  • city status
  • become a city
  • grant city status
  • city charter
  • apply for city status
  • official city
  • state government
Synonyms
  • municipality

    broader legal term for any incorporated town, city, or village

  • incorporated area

    formal US term for a place with its own local government

Grammar Patterns

become + a city

grant + city status

apply for + city status

Usage Note

More common in North American legal and administrative contexts than in everyday British conversation. The requirements for city status vary by country — in the US each state sets its own rules; in Canada the threshold is typically population-based; in the UK city status is granted by the monarch on advice of the government.

Common Mistakes

The town became a city after it grew to 50,000 people.' (suggests it happens automatically).
The town was granted city status by the state government.
becoming a city requires an official legal process, not just population growth.

Word family

  • citizen
    nounB1
  • citizenship
    nounB2
  • citywide
    adjectiveB2
  • city-dweller
    nounB2
  • cityscape
    nounC1
  • inner city
    nounB2
  • city hall
    nounB2
  • citified
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

City, town, metropolis, municipality, and urban centre all refer to populated settlements, but they differ in scale, formality, and usage. A city is generally larger and more important than a town, with a more complex economy and local government. A town is smaller and often more rural in character — in British English, speakers may use 'town' informally even for cities (e.g. 'going into town'). A metropolis is a very large, influential city that serves as a cultural and commercial hub for a region or country; examples include London, Tokyo, and New York. Municipality is a formal legal term for any incorporated settlement — city, town, or village — with its own local government, and it appears mainly in official documents. Urban centre is a neutral, descriptive term for any densely built-up area regardless of legal status or size. For example: 'Priya moved from a small town to the bustling metropolis of Seoul,' and 'The municipality released new tax rates for all property owners.'

town ↗metropolis ↗municipalityurban centre

Common collocations

Nouns

  • city centre
  • city hall
  • city limits
  • city council
  • city government
  • city dweller
  • city life
  • city skyline

Prepositions

  • in a/the city
  • through the city
  • across the city
  • outside the city
  • on the outskirts of the city
  • into the city
  • around the city

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'city' comes from Old French 'cité', which developed from Latin 'cīvitās', meaning 'citizenship, community, or state'. The Latin root 'cīvis' means 'citizen'. The word gradually shifted from referring to a community of citizens to referring to the physical town itself. It replaced the Old English word 'burh' (which later became 'borough').