metropolis

noun

me·​trop·​o·​lis mə-ˈträ-p(ə-)ləs 

1

: the chief or capital city of a country, state, or region

2

: the city or state of origin of a colony (as of ancient Greece)

3

a

: a city regarded as a center of a specified activity

an industrial metropolis

a cattle metropolis

b

: a large important city

one of Europe's great metropolises

Synonyms of metropolis

• city
• town

Examples of metropolis in a Sentence

a big, teeming metropolis where ambitious people from all over come to make their mark

Recent Examples on the Web

Still, its close proximity to one of the most populous cities in the nation has spurred a five-year boom, drawing new residents (including celebrities such as Friday Night Lights star Kyle Chandler) and weekend visitors with its distinct wildness and quietude compared to the nearby metropolis. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026

In the sprawling metropolis of Hong Kong, cha chaan tengs keep the city fed. —Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026

Perhaps now more than ever, a visitor to Cairo experiences the metropolis through its layers of history. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Apr. 2026

Here, the four presidents stare out over a section of a 118-acre (48-hectare) theme park, where iconic structures from across the world sit alongside each other, frozen in time as a rapidly growing tech metropolis rises around it. —New Atlas, 7 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin, from Greek mētropolis, from mētr-, mētēr mother + polis city — more at mother, police entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for metropolis

• acropolis
• monopolise
• necropolis
• megalopolis
• propolis

Kids Definition

metropolis

noun

me·​trop·​o·​lis mə-ˈträp-(ə-)ləs 

1

: the chief or capital city of a country, state, or region

2

: a large important city