metropolis

English

/mɪˈtɹɒpəlɪs/

noun
Definitions
  • (history) The mother (founding) polis (city state) of a colony.
  • A large, busy city, especially as the main city in an area or country or as distinguished from surrounding rural areas.
  • (canon law) The see of a metropolitan archbishop, ranking above its suffragan diocesan bishops.
  • (ecology) A generic focus in the distribution of plants or animals.

Etymology

Derived from Latin mētropolis derived from Ancient Greek μητρόπολις (mother city, a mother city state).

Origin

Ancient Greek

μητρόπολις

Gloss

mother city, a mother city state

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms