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The Suburbs vs. the Urbs
Given that most of the common words in our language beginning sub- tend to have meanings concerned with “beneath” (as in subterranean and submarine) or “less than” (as with subpar), you would be forgiven for assuming that the suburbs were so named because of their location below, or their status as less than, their urban counterparts. Not so, however: sub- may have other meanings at the beginning of a word; in this case, it indicates not depth or inferiority, but proximity. In other words, the suburbs are a region close to the urbs.
Is urbs an English word? Yes; it is rarely used, but it refers typically to a city, particularly when distinguished from a suburb.
Examples of urban in a Sentence
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Mar. 2026
These will test urban air taxis, regional passenger flights, cargo delivery, medical response, and autonomous operations in real-world conditions.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 18 Mar. 2026
Beyoncé back in 2018 as supergroup The Carters, winning the Grammy for best urban contemporary album.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
Hôtel du Couvent Climb to this urban escape in Nice, France.
—The Editors, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for urban
Cite this Entry
“Urban.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/urban. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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urban
adjective
