city Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
    metropolis; urban center.
    • Ancient Troy was a great city
  2. noun an incorporated administrative district established by state charter
    • the city raised the tax rate
  3. noun people living in a large densely populated municipality
    metropolis.
    • the city voted for Republicans in 1994

WordNet

Cit"y noun
Etymology
OE. cite, F. cit, fr. L. civitas citizenship, state, city, fr. civis citizen; akin to Goth. heiwa (in heiwafrauja man of the house), AS. , pl., members of a family, servants, family, G. heirath marriage, prop., providing a house, E. hind a peasant.
Wordforms
plural Cities
Definitions
  1. A large town.
  2. A corporate town; in the United States, a town or collective body of inhabitants, incorporated and governed by a mayor and aldermen or a city council consisting of a board of aldermen and a common council; in Great Britain, a town corporate, which is or has been the seat of a bishop, or the capital of his see.
    A city is a town incorporated; which is, or has been, the see of a bishop; and though the bishopric has been dissolved, as at Westminster, it yet remaineth a city. Blackstone
    When Gorges constituted York a city, he of course meant it to be the seat of a bishop, for the word city has no other meaning in English law. Palfrey
  3. The collective body of citizens, or inhabitants of a city. "What is the city but the people?" Shak. Syn. -- See Village.
Cit"y adjective
Definitions
  1. Of or pertaining to a city. Shak. Fairfax.

Webster 1913