[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

city \cit"y\ si^t"y^, n.; pl. cities si^t"i^z.
   oe. cite, f. cit'e, fr. l. civitas citizenship, state,
   city, fr. civis citizen; akin to goth. heiwa in heiwafrauja
   man of the house, as. himacwan, pl., members of a family,
   servants, himacred family, g. heirath marriage, prop.,
   providing a house, e. hind a peasant.
   1. a large town.
      1913 webster

   2. a corporate town; in the united states, a town or
      collective body of inhabitants, incorporated and governed
      by a mayor and aldermen or a city council consisting of a
      board of aldermen and a common council; in great britain,
      a town corporate, which is or has been the seat of a
      bishop, or the capital of his see.
      1913 webster

            a city is a town incorporated; which is, or has
            been, the see of a bishop; and though the bishopric
            has been dissolved, as at westminster, it yet
            remaineth a city.                     --blackstone
      1913 webster

            when gorges constituted york a city, he of course
            meant it to be the seat of a bishop, for the word
            city has no other meaning in english law. --palfrey
      1913 webster

   3. the collective body of citizens, or inhabitants of a city.
      "what is the city but the people?" --shak.

   syn: see village.
        1913 webster
see also:
cities village 

Cities >> C Words
Cities, definition of term: Cities
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