metropolitan English · revision 7056

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=mid-14th century|origins=grc μητρόπολις}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mɛtɹəˈpɒlɪtən/ ''(UK)''; /ˌmɛtɹəˈpɑlɪtən/, /mɛtɹəˈpɒlɪtən/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-lat|metropolitanus]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) from Greek [[m|grc|μητροπολίτης|tr=mētropolítēs|t=resident of a city; citizen of a mother state]],^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) from [[m|grc|μητρόπολις|tr=mētrópolis|t=mother city; capital; see of a metropolitan bishop]] (see [[metropolis]]), from [[m|grc|μήτηρ|tr=mḗtēr|t=mother]] and [[m|grc|πόλις|tr=pólis|t=city]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A bishop with authority over the other bishops of his province: the mid-14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) The adjective, belonging to an ecclesiastical metropolis, is from the early 15th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the early church the metropolitan was the bishop of a provincial capital; in modern Catholic use he is an archbishop with bishops under him, and in the Orthodox churches he ranks above an archbishop.^(Etymonline) Of a chief or capital city, it is from the 1550s (1555 in the OED).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Belonging to the mother country, especially of France as opposed to its colonies, is from 1806.^(OED 1989) Of underground city railways it is from 1867, as in London's Metropolitan Railway.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * mid-14th century – a metropolitan bishop.^(Etymonline)

+ * early 15th century – the adjective.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1555 – of a capital city.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1806 – of the mother country.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1867 – of an underground railway.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Relating to a large city and its surrounding area.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Belonging to the home country of a state rather than its colonies: ''metropolitan France''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Relating to an ecclesiastical province or its chief bishop.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(Christianity)'' A bishop with authority over the bishops of a province; in the Orthodox churches, one ranking above an [[archbishop]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An inhabitant of a [[metropolis]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[metropolitanism]]

+ * [[metroplex]]

+ * [[metropolitanize]]

+ * [[nonmetropolitan]]

+ * [[unmetropolitan]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[metropolis]]

+ * [[mother]]

+ * [[police]]

+ * [[politics]]

+ * [[cosmopolitan]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}