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Antonyms for city


Grammar : Adj, noun
Spell : sit-ee
Phonetic Transcription : ˈsɪt i



Definition of city

Origin :
  • early 13c., in medieval usage a cathedral town, but originally "any settlement," regardless of size (distinction from town is 14c., though in English it always seems to have ranked above borough), from Old French cite "town, city" (10c., Modern French cité), from earlier citet, from Latin civitatem (nominative civitas; in Late Latin sometimes citatem) originally "citizenship, condition or rights of a citizen, membership in the community," later "community of citizens, state, commonwealth" (used, for instance of the Gaulish tribes), from civis "townsman," from PIE root *kei- "to lie; bed, couch; homestead; beloved, dear" (see cemetery).
  • The sense has been transferred from the inhabitants to the place. The Latin word for "city" was urbs, but a resident was civis. Civitas seems to have replaced urbs as Rome (the ultimate urbs) lost its prestige. Loss of Latin -v- is regular in French in some situations (cf. alleger from alleviare; neige from nivea; jeune from juvenis. A different sound evolution from the Latin word yielded Italian citta, Catalan ciutat, Spanish ciudad, Portuguese cidade.
  • Replaced Old English burh (see borough). London is the city from 1550s. As an adjective from c.1300. City hall first recorded 1670s to fight city hall is 1913, American English; city slicker first recorded 1916 (see slick); both American English. City limits is from 1825. The newspaper city desk attested from 1878. Inner city first attested 1968. City state (also city-state) is attested from 1877.
  • adj metropolitan
  • noun large town
Example sentences :
  • From what we had heard, we expected to find you in the city.
  • Extract from : « Philothea » by Lydia Maria Child
  • They landed, and with the utmost haste proceeded toward the city.
  • Extract from : « Philothea » by Lydia Maria Child
  • The sound disturbed him, bringing premonitions of the city's unrest.
  • Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
  • All this Robert thought over as he was riding in the cars to the city.
  • Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
  • There is in this city a rag-picker so wealthy that he can afford to drink wine every day.
  • Extract from : « Punchinello, Vol. 1. No. 20, August 13, 1870 » by Various
  • Since that time, he has been employed as coachman by Uri Gilbert, Esq., of this city.
  • Extract from : « Harriet, The Moses of Her People » by Sarah H. Bradford
  • I am always thankful to any person that brought me into city of Perth.
  • Extract from : « Explorations in Australia » by John Forrest
  • What, then, must be the population of the British empire if the increase in one city was at that rate?
  • Extract from : « Explorations in Australia » by John Forrest
  • I have been in the city to-day, and did not hear a syllable of this.
  • Extract from : « Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 327 » by Various
  • In what section of the city did most of the working girls, who had no homes, live?
  • Extract from : « Grace Harlowe's Return to Overton Campus » by Jessie Graham Flower

Synonyms for city

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019