easy
The city has homes, shops, parks, streets, and public services.
What does City mean?
A city is an urban community or official municipality; the word can also mean its people or government.
Dictionary definition
A large or important urban community; a place officially given city status under local law; the government or people of that community; or, as the City in British use, London’s financial district and financial sector.
Example sentences
City in a sentence
easy
The city repaired the footpath beside the library.
medium
The whole city celebrated when the team returned home.
medium
A legal city boundary may not include every suburb in the wider urban area.
hard
City status is defined differently by different countries and local laws.
hard
In British news, the City often means London’s financial district or financial sector.
Writing practice
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Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of City
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
Why can the exact meaning of city vary from place to place?
Governments and statistical agencies use rules suited to their own laws and comparison needs.
Practice 2
What does city mean in “The city opened a new swimming pool” ?
City can stand for the local government responsible for public services.
Practice 3
Which statement uses city to mean its people?
Here the place name stands for the people who live there.
Practice complete
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Pronunciation coach
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City
Voice settings
Sounds like
sit · ee · strongest beat: sit
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordCity.
Partnoun.
MeaningCity means A city is an urban community or official municipality; the word can also mean its people or government.
ExampleExample: The city has homes, shops, parks, streets, and public services.
Word breakdown
2 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- sit · ee
- Strongest beat
- sit
- Ending
- ee
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on sit.
Your turn
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Nice work—you practiced city.
Synonyms
Words like City
municipalityClose when city means an incorporated local-government area, though not every municipality is called a city.
metropolisClose for a very large or important city; it does not fit every city.
townClose in everyday use for an urban settlement; laws may distinguish a town from a city by status rather than size alone.
Antonym review
Does City have an opposite?
City has no universal direct opposite. Countryside and rural area contrast with the urban sense, while village and town name related settlements rather than opposites.
Synonym practice
Want to practice city synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "The city had tall buildings and busy streets," then compare close word choices. Practice city synonyms.
Word family
City word family
Base word
city
noun
cities
More than one city; city changes y to ie before the plural ending.
adjective
citywide
Extending throughout an entire city.
noun
cityscape
The visible buildings and features of a city, especially as a view or image.
noun
city-state
An independent state consisting of a city and its surrounding territory.
Related words
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Student support
Understand City
Hint for students
Look for an urban place, an official municipality, its local government, its residents, or the British name the City.
Common mix-up
A city is not defined everywhere by one population size. Legal city status and the boundary of a wider urban or commuting area can differ by country and region.
Try it in class or at home
Students compare a city’s legal boundary with a map of its wider urban area, then sort sentences into place, government, and people meanings and explain their context clues.
Teacher prompt
Compare “The city grew,” “The city repaired the road,” and “The city cheered.” Ask whether each city means a place, government, or people.
Word Wheels
Practice City with a Word Wheel
Explore 2 wheels that include this word.
1 of 2
Word Wheel
Practice with the Geography & Places Words Wheel
Spin this researched Geography & Places wheel to compare maps, political areas, regions, cities, borders, and Earth coordinates in context.
Word Wheel
Practice with the School Words Wheel
This word is part of WordHive's researched School Words collection. Spin the complete wheel to review meanings, discuss classroom connections, and practice using school vocabulary in sentences.
Learning activities
Practice City and explore more word games
Cards labelled “Practice CITY” keep this word in focus. Explore cards open games with other words.
Practice CITY
Sentence Builder
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