# city

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈsɪt.i/ · frequency rank #217

## Definitions
1. A large settlement, bigger than a town; sometimes with a specific legal definition, depending on the place.
2. A settlement granted special status by royal charter or letters patent; traditionally, a settlement with a cathedral regardless of size.
3. The central business district; downtown.
4. A large amount of something (used after the noun).

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English cite, derived from Old French cite, derived from Late Latin cīvitātem (“city”), in Classical Latin "citizenry", derived from cīvis (“fellow-citizen”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱey- (“lie down; settle”). Cognate with Old English hīwan pl (“members of one's household, servants”). See hewe. Doublet of civitas. Mostly displaced native Old English burg, whence Modern English borough.

## Easily confused with
- **CT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-ct)
- **cut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-cut)
- **cry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-cry)
- **Civ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-civ)
- **cot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-cot)
- **coy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-coy)
- **CRT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-crt)
- **CST** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-cst)
- **CTR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-ctr)
- **CTE** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-cte)
- **CTO** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-cto)
- **CTA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-cta)
- **CTC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-ctc)
- **copy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-copy)
- **cute** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-cute)
- **cuts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-cuts)
- **clay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-clay)
- **Cody** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-cody)
- **cozy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-cozy)
- **Cory** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/city-vs-cory)

## Common misspellings (6)
`ccity`, `citty`, `cityy`, `ciyt`, `ctiy`, `icty`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/city