City-state Definition & Meaning

American

British

Etymology

Examples

city-state American [sit-ee-steyt] / ˈsɪt iˌsteɪt /

noun

1. a sovereign state consisting of an autonomous city and, especially historically, any dependent settlements or territories.

   The Corinthian order of architecture is named for its legendary origin in the ancient Greek city-state of Corinth.

   Singapore’s role in shaping global entrepreneurship has further strengthened that city-state's position in the world economy.

city-state British

noun

1. a state consisting of a sovereign city and its dependencies. Among the most famous are the great independent cities of the ancient world, such as Athens, Sparta, Carthage, Thebes, Corinth, and Rome

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of city-state

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The city-state produces semiconductors essential for electric vehicles and industrial systems, and could benefit from increasing demand for memory chips and autonomous vehicles, says the central bank.

From The Wall Street Journal

Consumer inflation in the city-state eased sharply last year, while economic growth beat expectations.

From The Wall Street Journal

Singapore’s government offers grants, tax exemptions and equity investments to new companies, making the city-state “one of the most generous benefactors of tech entrepreneurs anywhere in the world,” Mr.

From The Wall Street Journal

Singapore will release its nonoil domestic exports data for December on Friday, offering insight into how the city-state trade sector is faring amid global uncertainty.

From The Wall Street Journal

The city-state is looking into transport policies related to autonomous vehicles and AI, which could improve efficiencies for transport companies and boost their margins, the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.