adj. & n.
adj. 1 of or relating to a metropolis, esp. as distinct from its environs (metropolitan New York). 2 belonging to, forming or forming part of, a mother country as distinct from its colonies etc. (metropolitan France). 3 of an ecclesiastical metropolis.
n. 1 (in full metropolitan bishop) a bishop having authority over the bishops of a province, in the Western Church equivalent to archbishop, in the Orthodox Church ranking above archbishop and below patriarch. 2 an inhabitant of a metropolis. metropolitan county hist. (in England) each of six units of local government centred on a large urban area (in existence 1974-86). metropolitan magistrate Brit. a paid professional magistrate in London (cf. stipendiary magistrate). metropolitanate n. (in sense 1 of n.). metropolitanism n.
[ ME f. LL metropolitanus f. Gk metropolites (as METROPOLIS) ]