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

The title also reflected the city’s centennial and its spectacular growth from a frontier settlement to an industrial metropolis. —Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026

The metropolis produces roughly one out of every three motorcycles exported from China. —New Atlas, 23 May 2026

Celebrations were in full swing as the cloud descended on the metropolis in a thick, deadly fog that, owing to the presence of hydrogen cyanide, smelled of bitter almonds. —Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 23 May 2026

The movie stars Sophie Thatcher, Havana Rose Liu, Kristine Froseth and Charles Melton in a tale that begins at a swanky futuristic LA-like metropolis hotel. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 18 May 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