metropolitan

1 of 2

noun

met·​ro·​pol·​i·​tan ˌme-trə-ˈpä-lə-tən 

1

: the primate of an ecclesiastical province

2

: one who lives in a metropolis or displays metropolitan manners or customs

metropolitan

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of or constituting a metropolitan or his see

2

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a metropolis and sometimes including its suburbs

3

: of, relating to, or constituting a mother country as distinguished from a colony

Synonyms

Noun

• city slicker
• cosmopolitan
• cosmopolite
• slicker
• sophisticate

Examples of metropolitan in a Sentence

Noun

a TV series about the lives and loves of a group of young, attractive metropolitans

Adjective

the greater New York metropolitan area

This is one of the best seafood restaurants in metropolitan Los Angeles.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

From Atlantic beaches to Western mountains to central metropolitans, there’s a destination suited to every type of traveler. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 14 Dec. 2024

Fort Myers Known as the gateway to Southwest Florida, Fort Myers is an all-in-one vacation destination that effortlessly blends a vibrant metropolitan with tranquil beaches, cultural attractions, and great dining. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 29 Oct. 2024

Adjective

The majority of the most expensive ZIP codes in Texas are contained within just a couple of metropolitan areas. —Andrew Depietro, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024

Major metropolitan areas including London, Phoenix, San Francisco, Dallas, and Los Angeles joined the festivities, each putting their local spin on the holiday tradition. —Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Late Latin metropolitanus of the see of a metropolitan, from metropolita, noun, metropolitan, from Late Greek mētropolitēs, from mētropolis see of a metropolitan, from Greek, capital

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing metropolitan

• metropolitan borough

Kids Definition

metropolitan

1 of 2 noun

met·​ro·​pol·​i·​tan ˌme-trə-ˈpäl-ət-ᵊn 

1

: the head of a church province

2

: one who lives in a metropolis or who has metropolitan manners or customs

metropolitan

2 of 2 adjective

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a metropolis

2

: of or relating to a city and the densely populated surrounding areas