n.
Pronunciation: ' si-t ē
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural cit · ies
Usage: often attrib
Etymology: Middle English citie large or small town, from Anglo-French cité, from Medieval Latin civitat-, civitas, from Latin, citizenship, state, city of Rome, from civis citizen ― more at HIND
Date: 13th century
1 a : an inhabited place of greater size, population, or importance than a town or village b : an incorporated British town usually of major size or importance having the status of an episcopal see c capitalized (1) : the financial district of London (2) : the influential financial interests of the British economy d : a usually large or important municipality in the U.S. governed under a charter granted by the state e : an incorporated municipal unit of the highest class in Canada
2 : CITY-STATE
3 : the people of a city
4 slang : a thing, event, or situation that is strongly characterized by a specified quintessential feature or quality <the movie was shoot-out city >