English · Word Candidate

metropolis

/mɪˈtɹɒp.ə.lɪs/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: metropolises · metropoleis · metropoles · metropolizes

Sense 1

Meaning · English

The mother (founding) polis (city state) of a colony.

Noun

Examples

Colonies certainly did not become "clones" of their metropolises, but it is equally false that their colonial heritages were not influenced by the organization of the metropolises.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A large, busy city, especially as the main city in an area or country or as distinguished from surrounding rural areas.

Noun

Examples

Holonym: metropolitan area

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “metropolis” mean?

The mother (founding) polis (city state) of a colony.

Is “metropolis” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.