city

English Online Dictionary. What means city‎? What does city mean?

English

Alternative forms

• citie, cittie, cyte, cytee (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English cite, from Old French cite, from Late Latin cīvitātem (“city”), in Classical Latin "citizenry", derived from cīvis (“fellow-citizen”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱey- (“lie down; settle”). Cognate with Old English hīwan pl (“members of one's household, servants”). See hewe. Doublet of civitas. Mostly displaced native Old English burg, whence Modern English borough.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɪti/
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): [ˈsɪtʰiː]
  • (Northern England, Conservative RP) IPA^(key): /sɪtɪ/
  • (US, General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈsɪti/, [ˈsɪɾi]
• Hyphenation: ci‧ty
• Rhymes: -ɪti

Noun

city (plural cities)

2. A large settlement, bigger than a town; sometimes with a specific legal definition, depending on the place.
3. (UK) A settlement granted special status by royal charter or letters patent; traditionally, a settlement with a cathedral regardless of size.
4. (Australia) The central business district; downtown.

5. (slang) A large amount of something (used after the noun).

Hypernyms

• settlement

Hyponyms

Derived terms

English terms starting with “city”

Related terms

Descendants

• → French: City
• → German: City
• → Italian: city
• → Swedish: city
• → Russian: си́ти (síti)

Translations

See also

Further reading

• "city" in Raymond Williams, Keywords (revised), 1983, Fontana Press, page 55.

Anagrams

• ICTY

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈt͡sɪtɪ]

Noun

city

1. nominative/accusative/vocative/instrumental plural of cit

Finnish

Etymology

From English city.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsiti/, [ˈs̠it̪i]
• Rhymes: -iti

Noun

city

1. (anglicism) Synonym of liikekeskusta (“central business district”)

Declension

Derived terms

compounds

• city­kani
• city­karhu
• city­kulttuuri
• city­maasturi

Italian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English city. Doublet of città.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsi.ti/
• Rhymes: -iti

Noun

city f (invariable)

1. city (financial district of a city)

Derived terms

• city bike
• city car
• city manager

References

Middle English

Noun

city

1. Alternative form of cite

Swedish

Etymology

Borrowed from English city.

Pronunciation

Noun

city n

1. inner city, the commercial centre of a medium-sized or larger city

Usage notes

• centrum is used for the commercial centre of suburbs and small or medium-sized towns.

Synonyms

• centrum
• innerstad

References

• city in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• city in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)