metropolitan

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌmet.rəˈpɑː.lə.tən/ UK /ˌmet.rəˈpɒl.ɪ.tən/ See IPA manual

Freq #12965

Meanings

1

adj
relating to a large city or to the densely populated area surrounding it

The metropolitan rail network carries millions of passengers each week.
2

noun
a senior bishop who has authority over the bishops of an ecclesiastical province

The metropolitan convened the province's bishops for a formal council.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · relating to a large city or... urban citywide

2 noun · a senior bishop who has... metropolitan bishoparchbishop

Opposites

rural provincial

Word family

Derived forms metropolitanismnonmetropolitanmetropolitanate

Related forms metropolis city archbishop

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

metropolitan area
a large city together with its closely connected surrounding communities

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Late Latin metropolitanus, from Greek metropolites ("citizen of a mother city"), based on metropolis, from meter ("mother") + polis ("city"). The ecclesiastical title arose for a bishop based in the chief city of a province.

Topics

Describing Qualities Register & Style

External links

# metropolitan

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌmet.rəˈpɑː.lə.tən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌmet.rəˈpɒl.ɪ.tən/
**Frequency rank:** 12965

## Meanings
1. relating to a large city or to the densely populated area surrounding it
2. a senior bishop who has authority over the bishops of an ecclesiastical province

## Examples
- The metropolitan rail network carries millions of passengers each week.
- The metropolitan convened the province's bishops for a formal council.

## Synonyms
- urban
- citywide
- metropolitan bishop

## Antonyms
- rural
- provincial

## Derived Forms
- metropolitanism
- nonmetropolitan
- metropolitanate

## Related Forms
- metropolis
- city
- archbishop

## Etymology
From Late Latin metropolitanus, from Greek metropolites ("citizen of a mother city"), based on metropolis, from meter ("mother") + polis ("city"). The ecclesiastical title arose for a bishop based in the chief city of a province.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Register & Style

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