metropolis

/mɪˈtɹɒp.ə.lɪs/

//mɪˈtɹɒp.ə.lɪs// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"metropolis" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“metropolis” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #13,565. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#13,565
frequency rank, English
36,575
“M” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The mother (founding) polis (city state) of a colony.

Key facts for metropolis
PropertyValue
Headwordmetropolis
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/mɪˈtɹɒp.ə.lɪs/
Letters10
Frequency rank#13,565
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “metropolis” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). metropolis lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around metropolis (IPA /mɪˈtɹɒp.ə.lɪs/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #13,565 among 36,575 “M” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for metropolis, with forms such as "emtropolis", "mertopolis", and "metorpolis". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Late Latin mētropolis, from Ancient Greek μητρόπολις (mētrópolis, “mother city”), from μήτηρ (mḗtēr, “mother”) + πόλις (pólis, “city (state)”). By surface analysis, metro- + -polis. Doublet of metropole. The correct English form is metropolis, spelled M-E-T-R-O-P-O-L-I-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    The mother (founding) polis (city state) of a colony.
  2. 2
    A large, busy city, especially as the main city in an area or country or as distinguished from surrounding rural areas.
  3. 3
    The see of a metropolitan bishop, ranking above its suffragan diocesan bishops.
  4. 4
    A generic focus in the distribution of plants or animals.

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin mētropolis, from Ancient Greek μητρόπολις (mētrópolis, “mother city”), from μήτηρ (mḗtēr, “mother”) + πόλις (pólis, “city (state)”). By surface analysis, metro- + -polis. Doublet of metropole.

This word in other languages

urbe(Español)métropole(Français)Metropole(Deutsch)metrópole(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • emtropolis
  • mertopolis
  • metorpolis
  • metrooplis
  • metroplois
  • metropoils
  • metropoliss
  • metropollis
  • metropolsi
  • metroppolis
  • metrpoolis
  • metrropolis
  • mettropolis
  • mmetropolis
  • mteropolis

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of metropolis - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

emtropolis2mertopolis2metorpolis2metrooplis2metroplois2metropoils2metropoliss1metropollis1
Edit distance from "metropolis"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "metropolis"?
"metropolis" is spelled M-E-T-R-O-P-O-L-I-S. The IPA pronunciation is /mɪˈtɹɒp.ə.lɪs/.
What does "metropolis" mean?
As a noun, "metropolis" means: The mother (founding) polis (city state) of a colony.
What are common misspellings of "metropolis"?
Common misspellings include "emtropolis", "mertopolis", "metorpolis", "metrooplis", "metroplois". The correct spelling is "metropolis".
How do you pronounce "metropolis"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "metropolis" is /mɪˈtɹɒp.ə.lɪs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "metropolis"?
Borrowed from Late Latin mētropolis, from Ancient Greek μητρόπολις (mētrópolis, “mother city”), from μήτηρ (mḗtēr, “mother”) + πόλις (pólis, “city (state)”). By surface analysis, metro- + -polis. Doublet of metropole. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “metropolis”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is M-E-T-R-O-P-O-L-I-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /mɪˈtɹɒp.ə.lɪs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list