metropolis

Meanings

1. The mother (founding) polis (city state) of a colony.
2. A large, busy city, especially as the main city in an area or country or as distinguished from surrounding rural areas.
3. The see of a metropolitan bishop, ranking above its suffragan diocesan bishops.
4. A generic focus in the distribution of plants or animals.

1. A city, the county seat of Massac County, Illinois, United States.
2. A ghost town in Elko County, Nevada, United States.
3. A classical city site in Anatolia (Turkey).
4. A fictional city serving as the primary setting for the Superman franchise, published by DC Comics.
5. Nickname for New York City: a major city in New York, United States.

1. Nickname for London: the capital city of the United Kingdom; the capital city of England, within Greater London.

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin mētropolis, from Ancient Greek μητρόπολις (mētrópolis, “mother city”), from μήτηρ (mḗtēr, “mother”) + πόλις (pólis, “city (state)”). By surface analysis, metro- + -polis. Doublet of metropole.