metropolitan
gb/mˌɛtɹoʊpˈɑlətən/ us/mˌɛtɹoʊpˈɑlətən/
B2
English
~ 5500
nagyvárosi, agglomerációs, kozmopolita, nagyvárosias, világvárosi, városlakó, nagyvárosi ember, metropolita
B2
1
nagyvárosi
B1
Usage pattern:
metropolitan [area/region/government/transport]
Housing prices in the metropolitan area have risen sharply over the past decade.
A nagyvárosi térségben az elmúlt évtizedben meredeken emelkedtek a lakásárak.
The new rail line will connect smaller towns to the metropolitan region.
Az új vasútvonal összeköti majd a kisebb településeket a nagyvárosi régióval.
Metropolitan government officials are debating how to reduce traffic congestion.
The report compares employment rates in metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties.
Public transport in the metropolitan district runs 24 hours a day.
Learner examples
I live in the metropolitan area around the city.
A várost körülvevő agglomerációban élek.
Many people move from small towns to metropolitan regions for work.
Sokan költöznek kisvárosokból nagyvárosi régiókba munka miatt.
The metropolitan government runs the buses and trains.
Air pollution is a big problem in many metropolitan areas.
This map shows all the roads in the metropolitan region.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *metropolitans* as a plural noun to mean 'people in the city' when they just want to describe the area. In most cases you should use 'metropolitan area' or 'metropolitan city', not say '*many metropolitans live here*'. Also, some learners use 'metropolitan' when 'urban' would be more natural for general city description.
Meaning
relating to a large city area
Collocations
metropolitan area
|metropolitan region
|metropolitan government
|metropolitan population
|metropolitan transport
|metropolitan economy
Synonyms
urban (Very close in meaning, but 'urban' can refer to any city environment, while 'metropolitan' more often suggests a large city plus its wider area or official status.)
Antonyms
rural (Describes areas in the countryside, away from towns and cities, which is the opposite of a metropolitan area.)
Themes
cities
|geography
|government
|travel
|politics
Definition
Connected to a big city and the towns around it, seen as one large area.
Relating to a large city, especially together with its surrounding suburbs and developed areas, often treated as a single unit for planning or government.
C1
2
Usage pattern:
metropolitan [lifestyle/culture/outlook/taste]
She enjoys a metropolitan lifestyle, with late-night dining and a wide circle of international friends.
Élvezi a kozmopolita életstílust: késő esti vacsorákra jár, és sok nemzetközi barátja van.
The magazine targets metropolitan readers who care about fashion, food, and design.
A magazin olyan nagyvárosi olvasókat céloz meg, akiket érdekel a divat, az étel és a dizájn.
His metropolitan outlook made it easy for him to settle in any major city.
The café has a distinctly metropolitan feel, with minimalist decor and jazz playing softly.
They wanted their children to grow up in a more metropolitan environment.
Learner examples
He likes the fast metropolitan lifestyle.
Szereti a gyors, nagyvárosi életstílust.
Young people often move to the city for a more metropolitan culture.
A fiatalok gyakran költöznek a városba egy kozmopolitább kultúra miatt.
She has a very metropolitan view of the world.
They enjoy the metropolitan nightlife in the capital.
The restaurant has a modern, metropolitan style.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'metropolitan' with 'metro' and say things like '*he is very metro*' to mean big-city or fashionable. In this sense, 'metropolitan' is a normal adjective before a noun (a metropolitan lifestyle), and 'cosmopolitan' is more common when describing people directly.
Meaning
having a big-city lifestyle
Collocations
metropolitan lifestyle
|metropolitan culture
|metropolitan outlook
|metropolitan taste
|metropolitan mindset
Synonyms
cosmopolitan (Often stronger; suggests being very familiar with and comfortable in many countries and cultures, while 'metropolitan' focuses more on general big-city style and attitudes.)
Antonyms
provincial (Describes people or attitudes that are narrow, traditional, or limited in experience, often associated with small towns, which contrasts with metropolitan openness and sophistication.)
Themes
lifestyle
|culture
|society
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Having a way of life like people in big cities, often modern, busy, and open to different cultures.
Having the character, attitudes, or lifestyle associated with people who live in large modern cities, especially being sophisticated, open to different cultures, and used to fast-paced life.
NOUN
C1
3
városlakó
B1
Usage pattern:
a metropolitan [does something]
As a lifelong metropolitan, he finds small-town life strangely quiet.
Világéletében városlakó volt, ezért furcsán csendesnek találja a kisvárosi életet.
The café is popular with young metropolitans who work in the financial district.
A kávézó népszerű a pénzügyi negyedben dolgozó fiatal nagyvárosiak körében.
Metropolitans often take efficient public transport for granted.
For many metropolitans, green space is limited to small city parks.
The survey compared the spending habits of metropolitans and rural residents.
Learner examples
He is a metropolitan who was born in the capital city.
Ő városlakó, a fővárosban született.
Many metropolitans do not own a car.
Sok városlakónak nincs autója.
A metropolitan may feel bored in a very small town.
The club is full of young metropolitans on Friday night.
Metropolitans are used to busy streets and noise.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'metropolitan' is only an adjective and may not recognize it as a noun meaning 'city dweller'. Also, do not use it where 'city' is needed; say 'He is a metropolitan', not '*He lives in a metropolitan*' when you mean 'city'.
Meaning
person from a large city
Collocations
young metropolitan
|wealthy metropolitan
|sophisticated metropolitan
|urban metropolitan
|modern metropolitan
Synonyms
urbanite (Very close in meaning; 'urbanite' is slightly more common and clearly means a city dweller, while 'metropolitan' as a noun sounds a bit more formal or descriptive.)
Antonyms
country dweller (Refers to someone who lives in the countryside, which contrasts with someone who lives in a large city.)
Themes
people
|cities
|society
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Someone who lives in a big city and is used to city life.
A person who lives in or comes from a large city, especially one who is used to urban life and culture.
NOUN
C2
TECHNICAL
4
metropolita
C2
Usage pattern:
Metropolitan of [place]
The Metropolitan of Kiev led the delegation to the ecumenical conference.
A kijevi metropolita vezette a küldöttséget az ökumenikus konferenciára.
He was appointed metropolitan of the new ecclesiastical province.
Kinevezték az új egyháztartomány metropolitájává.
The letter was addressed to His Eminence, the Metropolitan of All America and Canada.
Under the metropolitan are several diocesan bishops.
The council elected a new metropolitan to oversee the region.
Learner examples
The Metropolitan is a very important church leader.
A metropolita nagyon fontos egyházi vezető.
The Metropolitan of the city greeted the visitors.
A város metropolitája üdvözölte a látogatókat.
In this church, the metropolitan has power over other bishops.
They wrote a letter to the Metropolitan about the problem.
The metropolitan leads big church meetings in the region.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this church title with the general adjective 'metropolitan' meaning 'from a big city'. When it is capitalized and followed by 'of' plus a place name, it is usually a religious title, not a description of a city person.
Meaning
senior bishop over a province
Collocations
Orthodox metropolitan
|Metropolitan of Moscow
|Catholic metropolitan see
|metropolitan bishop
|Metropolitan of the province
Synonyms
archbishop (In some traditions a metropolitan is an archbishop with specific regional authority, but the exact role and rank can differ between churches.)
Antonyms
parish priest (A parish priest serves at a local church and does not have authority over a region, which is the opposite level of responsibility from a metropolitan.)
Themes
religion
|titles
Definition
In some churches, a high church leader (a bishop) who is responsible for an important city or area and other bishops there.
In some Christian Churches, a bishop who has authority over other bishops in a region or who is in charge of a very important city or church province.
Grammar
Dictionary form
metropolitan
IPA
GB/mˌɛtɹoʊpˈɑlətən/
US/mˌɛtɹoʊpˈɑlətən/
Syllables & stress
met - ro - pol - it - an (5 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (pol)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: metropolitan
Noun
- Base: metropolitan
- Plural: metropolitans
Word family
Forms
metropolitans
noun
Core family
metropolis
noun
metro
noun A2
Negative and opposite forms
non-metropolitan
adjective
Expressions
metropolitan area
1/mˌɛtɹoʊpˈɑlətən ˈɛɹiə/
fixed phrase
large city with its suburbs
A big city and the towns and suburbs around it, seen together as one large city region.
Examples
- More than half the country’s population now lives in a metropolitan area.
- The new airport serves the entire metropolitan area, not just the central city.
- Traffic in the metropolitan area is heaviest during the morning commute.
metropolitan borough
1/mˌɛtɹoʊpˈɑlətən bˈɚoʊ/
fixed phrase
technical
local district in a big urban area
In some countries, especially the UK, a local government area that is part of a large city region.
Examples
- The metropolitan borough manages local schools and libraries.
- Each metropolitan borough has its own council and mayor.
- Funding will be shared among the metropolitan boroughs in the region.
metropolitan culture
1/mˌɛtɹoʊpˈɑlətən kˈʌlt͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
culture of big-city life
The art, music, food, and ways of thinking that are common in big cities.
Examples
- The book explores how immigration has shaped metropolitan culture.
- Metropolitan culture often mixes traditions from many countries.
- She studies metropolitan culture and its influence on fashion.
metropolitan elite
1/mˌɛtɹoʊpˈɑlətən ɪlˈit/
fixed phrase
powerful big-city social group
Rich or powerful people who live mostly in big cities and often share similar modern, city-based ideas and interests.
Examples
- The party’s policies were criticized as favoring the metropolitan elite.
- Some voters feel ignored by what they call the metropolitan elite.
- The debate highlighted the gap between rural communities and the metropolitan elite.
metropolitan government
1/mˌɛtɹoʊpˈɑlətən ɡˈʌvɚnmənt/
fixed phrase
government for a whole metro area
A local government that manages a big city and the nearby towns together as one large city area.
Examples
- The new law gives more power to metropolitan government officials.
- Metropolitan government can coordinate transport across the entire urban area.
- Residents will vote next month on whether to create a metropolitan government.
metropolitan lifestyle
1/mˌɛtɹoʊpˈɑlətən lˈaɪfstˌaɪl/
fixed phrase
way of life in big cities
The usual way of living for people in big modern cities, often busy, modern, and full of cultural activities.
Examples
- They moved to the capital in search of a more metropolitan lifestyle.
- A metropolitan lifestyle often means eating out and using public transport.
- The film shows the challenges of balancing family life with a fast metropolitan lifestyle.
metropolitan police
1/mˌɛtɹoʊpˈɑlətən pəlˈis/
fixed phrase
police force for a large city
The police organization that is responsible for keeping order and safety in a capital city or very large city.
Examples
- The case is now being handled by the metropolitan police.
- Funding cuts have raised concerns within the metropolitan police force.
- Metropolitan police officers were deployed throughout the city center.
metropolitan region
1/mˌɛtɹoʊpˈɑlətən ɹˈid͡ʒən/
fixed phrase
city-centered planning region
An official or planning area that includes a big city and the urban land around it.
Examples
- The new rail project will link towns across the metropolitan region.
- Economic growth in the metropolitan region has outpaced the national average.
- Environmental policies must be coordinated across the whole metropolitan region.