metropolis

noun

me·​trop·​o·​lis mə-ˈträ-p(ə-)ləs How to pronounce metropolis (audio)
Synonyms of metropolis
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

Synonyms of metropolis

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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.
Here, in Charlotte, was a particularly fast-growing metropolis with a large public university. — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 28 Oct. 2026 The cutting-edge building details the city’s evolution from a humble fishing village to a bustling metropolis with over 18 million residents. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026 Imagine a perfect replica of a sprawling metropolis, a Tokyo or a São Paulo, engraved at atomic dimensions on a tile the size of a fingernail. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 After a monthlong fashion marathon that went from New York to Paris, a quieter-than-usual Shanghai Fashion Week felt almost like a respite in a still-bustling metropolis that offered no shortage of cultural activities on the side. — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026 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

Rhymes for metropolis

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Browse Nearby Words

metropole
metropolis
metropolitan
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Cite this Entry

“Metropolis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metropolis. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about metropolis

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