metropolis

noun

me·​trop·​o·​lis mə-ˈträ-p(ə-)ləs How to pronounce metropolis (audio)
1
: the chief or capital city of a country, state, or region
2
: the city or state of origin of a colony (as of ancient Greece)
3
a
: a city regarded as a center of a specified activity
an industrial metropolis
a cattle metropolis
b
: a large important city
one of Europe's great metropolises

Examples of metropolis in a Sentence

a big, teeming metropolis where ambitious people from all over come to make their mark
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This find is the first time a Caracol king has been identified over the decades of research at the site, which was a dominant Maya metropolis before its abandonment by 900 AD. Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025 Shanghai is the third-largest city in the world, with a population of just over 40 million, and is one of the most vibrant metropolises in the country. John Wogan, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2025 The flatiron building concept was born out of necessity to accommodate triangular road intersections, which came in handy in metropolises such as Indianapolis, New York City and elsewhere. Powered By, IndyStar, 2 July 2025 Still, the index suggests several major American cities offer a cheaper night out than metropolises in Europe and elsewhere. Greg McKenna, Fortune, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for metropolis

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin, from Greek mētropolis, from mētr-, mētēr mother + polis city — more at mother, police entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of metropolis was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Metropolis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metropolis. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

metropolis

noun
me·​trop·​o·​lis mə-ˈträp-(ə-)ləs How to pronounce metropolis (audio)
1
: the chief or capital city of a country, state, or region
2
: a large important city

More from Merriam-Webster on metropolis

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