[city] n, pl cit.ies often attrib [ME citie large or small town, fr. OF cite, fr. ML civitat-, civitas, fr. L, citizenship, state, city of Rome, fr. civis citizen--more at hind] (13c) 1 a: an inhabited place of greater size, population, or importance than a town or village b: an incorporated British town usu. of major size or importance having the status of an episcopal see c cap (1): the financial district of London (2): the influential financial interests of the British economy d: a usu. 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--used with a preceding adjective or noun naming an abundant or quintessential feature or quality "the movie was shoot-out ~"