municipality
gb/mjˌunɪsəpˈæləti/ us/mjˌunɪsəpˈæləti/
C1
English
~ 9700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
C1
entity
1
area with its own local government
A town, city, or area that has its own local government to manage things like roads, schools, and services.
Usage pattern:
a municipality; the municipality of [Place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "municipality" to mean any city or town in casual speech, even when the legal or government side is not relevant. In everyday conversation, "city" or "town" is usually more natural unless you are talking about official borders or government structure.
Synonyms
local authority area (More descriptive and slightly longer; emphasizes that it is an area under a local authority.)
|
town (More general; often used in everyday speech where legal status as a municipality is not important.)
|
city (Refers to a large town; some cities are municipalities, but not all municipalities are cities.)
Antonyms
unincorporated area (Refers to a region that does not have its own municipal government.)
Collocations
local municipality
|rural municipality
|urban municipality
|the municipality of [Place]
|within the municipality
Themes
government
|law
|geography
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The municipality covers an area of nearly 200 square kilometers.
- There are five small villages within the municipality.
- Tourism is the main source of income for the municipality.
- The municipality borders the river to the east and the mountains to the west.
- More than 60,000 people live in the municipality today.
Learner examples
- This municipality has a population of 25,000.
- I live in a small municipality near the capital city.
- The municipality is divided into four districts.
- Many farms are inside this municipality.
- Our municipality is very clean and safe.
Noun
formal
C1
entity
2
the local government authority
The local government organization that runs a town, city, or area and makes decisions for it.
Usage pattern:
the municipality [verb] [something]; complain to the municipality
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse the area (the municipality) with the people who govern it. When the word is the subject that makes decisions or provides services, it usually refers to the government body, not just the place. In some varieties of English, learners also wonder about singular vs. plural verbs; "the municipality is" is standard, even though it represents many people.
Synonyms
local government (Very close in meaning; slightly broader and more common in everyday speech.)
|
local authority (Common in British and international English; emphasizes the official power of the body.)
|
city council (Usually refers specifically to the elected decision-making group within the municipality of a city.)
Antonyms
central government (Refers to the national level of government, which contrasts with the local level represented by the municipality.)
Collocations
the municipality is responsible for
|municipality officials
|municipality budget
|file a complaint with the municipality
|run by the municipality
Themes
government
|law
|public services
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The municipality decided to increase property taxes to fund new schools.
- You should submit your building plans to the municipality for approval.
- The municipality is responsible for garbage collection and street lighting.
- After the flood, the municipality provided emergency housing for affected families.
- The municipality has launched a new website to make its services easier to access.
Learner examples
- The municipality collects our trash every week.
- She works for the municipality in the planning office.
- The municipality built a new park for children.
- You must pay this fee to the municipality.
- The municipality holds a public meeting every month.
Grammar
Dictionary form
municipality
IPA
GB/mjˌunɪsəpˈæləti/
US/mjˌunɪsəpˈæləti/
Syllables & stress
mu - ni - cip - al - ity (5 syllables)
Stress on 4th syllable (al)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: municipality
- Plural: municipalities
Word family
Forms
municipalities
noun
Core family
municipal
adjective B2
Advanced or less common
municipally
adverb
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.