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

Some of the flashiest metropolises didn’t rank on the list thanks to their outsized housing costs; and although the Midwest city’s average annual early-career earnings are a bit lower than others at $59,123, the average price of a starter home is just $195,000. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 May 2026

This will not only strengthen the state’s demand for more power and fresh water for rural areas and major metropolises, but create thousands of new and needed jobs. —Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026

But beyond the rockets and stars, Houston is a vibrant metropolis alive with culture, creativity, and flavor. —Carrie Honaker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2026

Founded during the Pikes Peak gold rush of 1858, Denver grew from a dusty frontier camp into the Western metropolis and gateway to the Rocky Mountains that it’s considered today. —Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 28 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