municipal

1 of 2

adjective

mu·​nic·​i·​pal myu̇-ˈni-s(ə-)pəl 

 also  myə-,

mə-,

-ˈni-sə-bəl,

 nonstandard  ˌmyü-nə-ˈsi-pəl

1

: of or relating to the internal affairs of a major political unit (such as a nation)

municipal legislation … enacted for the fulfillment of the treaties

—U.S. Stat. 750

2

a

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a municipality

municipal government

municipal water supplies

municipal elections

municipal courts

b

: having local self-government

3

: restricted to one locality

a new very municipal variety of dwarf sweet pea

—Osbert Sitwell

municipal

2 of 2

noun

: a security issued by a state or local government or by an authority set up by such a government

—usually used in plural

Examples of municipal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Over the course of their four-year terms, City Council members will be asked to balance municipal priorities such as infrastructure and public safety with residents’ concerns about property taxes. —Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2025

Trails will loop through the park and its open areas, connecting with the nearby Crossings municipal golf course and adjacent neighborhoods. —Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025

Noun

Dan Close, head of municipals at Nuveen, chalked the dismal performance to a number of things happening in the market, including a lot of supply and people selling the bonds to pay taxes. —Michelle Fox, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Latin municipalis of a municipality, from municip-, municeps inhabitant of a municipality, from munus duty, service + capere to take — more at mean, heave entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1925, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing municipal

• municipal borough
• municipal court

Kids Definition

municipal

adjective

mu·​nic·​i·​pal

myu̇-ˈnis-(ə-)pəl

: of or relating to a municipality

municipal government

Legal Definition

municipal

1 of 2 adjective

mu·​nic·​i·​pal myu̇-ˈni-sə-pəl 

1

: of or relating to the internal affairs of a major political unit (as a nation)

was sentenced by a court of municipal, not international, jurisdiction

compare domestic

2

a

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a municipality

the municipal counsel

b

: having local self-government

a municipal district

3

: restricted to one locality

municipal

2 of 2 noun

: a security issued by a state or local government or by an authority set up by such a government

—usually used in pl. see also municipal bond at bond sense 2