Chances are you’ve heard of the term urban before — after all, it’s just about everywhere these days. From the concrete jungle to the name of a popular dictionary (AKA, UrbanDictionary.com), urban is a word that’s no stranger to the modern lexicon. But what does it mean? We’ll tell you.
In this post, we’re exploring the word urban to uncover its definition, origin, synonyms, antonyms, and more. So if you’ve ever wondered what urban means or where it came from, keep reading. Here’s our complete guide on the word urban.
What Is the Definition of Urban?
According to the Collins Dictionary, the word urban means belonging to or relating to a city or town. That said, the words “city” and “town” are often used inconsistently.
If a town is large enough, it can be considered an urban area. Communities where people live outside cities are referred to as suburban. You see, the word “urban” is from the Latin urbanus and urbs, meaning “city.”
Still confused? Not to worry — let’s take a look at another definition of the word urban. According to the Bureau of the Census, urban is defined as comprising all territory, population, and housing units located in urbanized areas (UAs) and in places of 2,500 or more inhabitants outside of urbanized areas (UAs).
In its most basic definition, urban is simply a characteristic of the city or city life.
What Are Synonyms and Antonyms of Urban?
To help you better grasp the meaning of urban, let’s open up a thesaurus and take a look at the word’s synonyms and antonyms. In short, synonyms are words or phrases with the same or a similar meaning, whereas antonyms are words or phrases with opposite meanings.
Synonyms of urban include:
- City
- Town
- Megalopolitan
- Civic
- Public
- Central City
- Citified
- Civil
- Downtown
- Central
- Inner-city
- Citified
- Burghal
Antonyms of urban include:
- Country
- Rural
- Suburban
- Bucolic
- Agricultural
- Rustic
- Countrified
- Pastoral
- Farm
Related Words and Phrases You Should Know
As you widen your understanding of the word urban, you’ll likely come across a ton of new terms. So, to prevent any confusion, we’ve put together a list of related words and phrases for you to review below:
- Urbanization — The process by which rural communities grow to form cities and, by extension, the growth, and expansion of those cities.
- Urbanized Areas (UAs) — A continuously built-up area with a population of 50,000 or more.
- Urbanism — Life within the city; the culture or way of life of city dwellers.
- Cultural Evolution — Sociocultural evolution is the development of one or more cultures from simpler to more complex forms.
- Urban Development — The construction on land of improvements for residential, commercial, institutional, transportation, industrial, public flood control, and recreational and similar uses. This is in contrast to the use of the land for growing crops, grazing farm animals, and other agricultural pursuits.
- Urban Renewal — The redevelopment of areas within a large city, typically involving the clearance of slums.
Examples of Urban Used in a Sentence
Now that you understand what urban means, it’s time to practice using the word of the day in a sentence.
Quiz yourself to see how many sentences you can come up with on your own, or review our usage examples below:
This town is governed by an urban district council.
The urban half of the population have no opportunity to farm.
Among the many slang terms, urban is one that doesn’t really make any sense to me.
Did you know that over 80 percent of Texans live in urban areas?
My teacher mentioned that the urban population is increasing.
Believe it or not, Pope Urban (disambiguation) is the name of several popes of the Catholic Church.
The TV show gave a harrowing depiction of life in an urban slum.
It certainly took a while, but I’ve finally gotten used to urban life.
Most of the people I know live in urban areas.
It’s no good saying that the problem doesn’t exist, and that it’s a modern urban myth or perception and not reality.
I love the urban photography that’s often displayed in the New York Times.
According to his posted pictures on social media, he lives in the Urban Jungle.
The romper that I wanted last month from Urban Outfitters is trending.
Traffic is a huge problem here in the urban jungle of New York.
Some experts believe that three-quarters of the world’s population will be urban by 2050.
Summary
TL;DR, urban means: of, relating to, or in a town or city.
When referring to populated areas, the word urban is a great word to use; however, it’s often poorly defined. In general, an urban area is a human settlement with a high population density and infrastructure of the built environment.
Created through urbanization, urban areas (UAs) are often categorized by urban morphology as towns, cities, conurbations, or suburbs.
We hope this guide has provided you with a clear understanding of the word urban. If you’d like to discover more new words, we suggest checking out our website.
In addition to interesting terminology, you’ll also find helpful tips and useful tools to help strengthen your overall vocabulary and sharpen your grammar skills.
Sources:
- Dictionary Definition of Urban | The Collins Dictionary
- The Urban and Rural Classifications | US Census
- URBAN JUNGLE : definition in the | Cambridge English Dictionary
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do’s and don’ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.
A mysterious word which is actually made up of the abbreviation “ur” and the word “ban.” It probably hints to how the government is planning to ban Urban Dictionary because it speaks the truth about English and they’re jealous their dictionary can’t be the same.
I was forced to write something here containing the word urban to be able to post this shit.
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The word you type into Google when you’re too lazy to type in ‘Urban Dictionary’.
Lazy Guy: Lets go to Urban Dictionary to check out this strange word
Lazy Guy: U
Lazy Guy: R
Lazy Guy: B
Lazy Guy: A
Lazy Guy: N
Lazy Guy: (space)
Lazy Guy: D
Lazy Guy: Ahhh fuck it…
*backspace* and *search*.
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Urban means relating to or concerned with a city or densely populated area, The term is exploited by corporations such as MTV to refer to black music/culture, without mentioning race.
Anything Urban = $$$$.
Suburban Kid 1: Dude I’m totally Urban, Check these new Timbalands, homie.
Suburban Kid 2: Naw Dawwwg. Fa Shizzle. Im rockin dis new White Tee, Ya feel me?
Suburban Kid 1: ohh shit here comes a real black person, be quiet buddy.
Suburban Kid 2: Oh oh yea, Marily Manson is like totally awesome.
Suburban Kid 1: Ok ok hes gone dawg.
Suburban Kid 2: Fa Shizzle
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a word to describe the African-american culture of which contains a ghetto/hood/gangster mentality. it’s suggested the targeted subject is extremely unsophisticated. Although the word is not consider an ethnic slur today, its underlined meaning is derogatory and usage projects an inferior perception.
«Yo…this club we be hitting up is so urban now days.»
person #1 «His pants are sagging low»
person #2 «yea, he’s got urban stylez»
«those urbs are having a freestyle battle»
by Rudah July 8, 2013
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Table of Contents
- What does urban mean according to the Latin language?
- What does the word urban means?
- Who first used the word urban?
- Is it wrong to use the word urban?
- When was slang invented?
- What does IDC mean?
- What does IDC mean in Urban Dictionary?
- What does IDC mean in finance?
- What is the full form of TBH in Whatsapp language?
- What is the full form of op?
- What does slide mean on Instagram?
- What do you mean by a slide?
- How do u get verified on Instagram?
- What does slide up on story mean?
- What does TBH mean on Snapchat?
- How do you post a swipe link on Instagram?
- How do you share Instagram stories?
- How do you add music to Instagram stories?
- How do you put music in a story?
- How do I share my Spotify playlist in the background on Instagram?
- How do you put music on your Instagram videos longer than 15 seconds?
- What is multi capture in Instagram?
- How do you post a 1 minute video on Instagram?
The word urban is derived from the Latin urbanus, urbs meaning city. While the Latin word for city was urbs, the resident was civis or townsman.
What does urban mean according to the Latin language?
Urban is from a Latin adjective formed from urbs “city.” Definitions of urban. adjective. relating to or concerned with a city or densely populated area.
What does the word urban means?
Urban means “related to a city”. In that sense, the term may refer to: Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas. Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities.
Who first used the word urban?
By the mid-1970s, the term “urban” was making its debut in the music world live on air as the black New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker described the diverse music he was playing as “what’s happening in the city” or “urban contemporary.”
Is it wrong to use the word urban?
Sam Taylor, an executive from the music publishing firm Kobalt, reignited the debate about the term by saying: “I hate and despise the word ‘urban’.” Not only is urban an obviously wrong category, but it is also born out of racial stereotyping of black communities.
When was slang invented?
1800
What does IDC mean?
I Don’t Care
What does IDC mean in Urban Dictionary?
idc – I don’t care. idk – I don’t know.
What does IDC mean in finance?
Institutional Deposits Corporation (IDC) Definition. Dictionary.
What is the full form of TBH in Whatsapp language?
TBH (To Be Honest) and More Slang Parents Should Know.
What is the full form of op?
“OP” stands for “original poster” or “original post.” While both of these terms are widely used on message boards and internet forums, they mean different things. The original poster is the person who starts a discussion thread, forum topic, or Reddit post. They often kick-start a conversation or ask a question.
What does slide mean on Instagram?
On Instagram, “swipe up” means your account has been deemed worthy of having the tool that allows users to add links to their Instagram Stories. If a user links something to a story slide, the viewer can swipe up from the bottom and be directed to that user’s designated link.
What do you mean by a slide?
A slide is a single page of a presentation. Collectively, a group of slides may be known as a slide deck. A slide show is an exposition of a series of slides or images in an electronic device or in a projection screen.
How do u get verified on Instagram?
Verified Badges
- Make sure you’re logged in to the account you’re requesting a verified badge for.
- Tap.
- Tap in the top right, then tap.
- Tap Account, then tap Request Verification.
- Enter your full name and provide the required form of identification (example: government-issued photo ID or official business documents).
What does slide up on story mean?
They shared an Instagram post from their feed onto their Story and added a direct swipe up link, making it easier for their followers to sign up for their upcoming webinar. You can easily share your Instagram posts to your own story by tapping the share icon and selecting your Story.
What does TBH mean on Snapchat?
To Be Honest
How do you post a swipe link on Instagram?
Here’s how to add a link to your Instagram Story for people to “swipe up” on:
- Log in to Instagram and tap the camera icon at the top left of your screen.
- Take a photo or video in the app or choose from your camera roll.
- Tap the link icon in the top middle of your screen.
- Paste your link (either a URL or IGTV).
To share feed posts to stories: Tap the paper airplane button below the post (like you would to send a direct message) You’ll then see an option on the following menu to “Create a story with this post” Tap it to see the feed post as a sticker with a customized background ready to share to your story.
How do you add music to Instagram stories?
Tap the camera icon in the upper left. Swipe up to see your photo library. Select the photos or videos you want to add to your story and tap Next. To add music, tap the sticker icon in the toolbar at the top of the screen, then select the Music sticker.
How do you put music in a story?
When you open the camera, swipe to the new “Music” option under the record button. Search for a song, select the exact part you want, and record a video as the song plays in the background. When your friends are watching your story, they’ll hear the song playing as they’re viewing your photo or video.
To include your new looped artwork on IG Stories, go into the Spotify app and click “Share” on the track featuring your Canvas. Once it’s live, instead of a static image, you’ll have your loop in the background of your Story.
How do you put music on your Instagram videos longer than 15 seconds?
To begin with the new feature and create long Instagram Stories longer, all you need to do is to tap the Your Story icon and then press and hold the record button from the bottom-centre for as long as you want to record a moment – without worrying about the 15-second limit.
What is multi capture in Instagram?
Instagram added a new Multi-Capture feature to Stories, which allows users to create and share multiple photographs at once.
How do you post a 1 minute video on Instagram?
Instagram Feed Video Length You can upload a video that’s longer than 1 minute, but you’ll need to select a 1-minute section of the video. Once you’ve selected your video and tapped “Next” simply tap “Trim” and hold and drag your video until the minute you’d like to use is within the handles.
What does the word urban mean?
Urban means “related to a city”. In that sense, the term may refer to: Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas. Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities.
What is the verb of urban?
urbanize. To make something more urban in character. To take up an urban way of life.
What is the noun of urban?
urbanization. the process of the formation and growth of cities. the change in a country or region when its population migrates from rural to urban areas.
What is an example of urban?
The definition of urban is relating to a city or of a city with a population of at least 50,000 people. An example of urban is the nature of Manhattan.
What is a suburb example?
The definition of a suburb is an area of homes outside of a city. An example of a suburb is a series of gated communities outside of a large city. A usually residential area or community outlying a city.
What is another word for urban?
What is another word for urban?
| metropolitan | city |
|---|---|
| public | central |
| borough | downtown |
| oppidan | burghal |
| citified | suburban |
What cities are considered urban?
The Bureau of the Census defines urban as comprising all territory, popu- lation, and housing units located in urbanized areas and in places of 2,500 or more inhabitants outside of UAs. The term urban refers to both kinds of geographic entities.
How do you identify an urban area?
Urban areas are very developed, meaning there is a density of human structures such as houses, commercial buildings, roads, bridges, and railways. “Urban area” can refer to towns, cities, and suburbs. An urban area includes the city itself, as well as the surrounding areas.
What is the most urban state?
Detailed Findings & Methodology When looking at the distribution and density of populations, the most urbanized states in the country are New York, New Jersey, and California.
How do you classify a city?
There are four classification types: first class city, second class city, code city, and towns, all of which have different powers under state law.
What are the features of a city?
A city is a large human settlement. Cities generally have extensive systems for housing, transportation, sanitation, utilities, land use, and communication. Their density facilitates interaction between people, government organizations and businesses, sometimes benefiting different parties in the process.
What should every city have?
10 Things Every City Needs
- Well Balanced Neighbourhood Development.
- Reliable Transit System.
- Green Space.
- Community Centres/Meeting Places.
- Bike & Pedestrian Infrastructure.
- Community Gardens & Local Agriculture.
- Arts & Culture.
- Pedestrian Friendly Public Spaces.
What makes a place a city?
Common population definitions for an urban area (city or town) range between 1,500 and 50,000 people, with most U.S. states using a minimum between 1,500 and 5,000 inhabitants. Some jurisdictions set no such minima. In the United Kingdom, city status is awarded by the Crown and then remains permanently.
What defines a city from a town?
The Population of a City Is Generally Bigger In general, any place with more than 2,500 residents can be considered a city, and anything with fewer residents can be considered a town.
Can a town be in a city?
The word town can also be used as a general term for urban areas, including cities and in a few cases, districts within cities.
What is an example of a city?
The definition of a city is a town of significant size or an urban area with self-government. An example of a city is Manhattan. The financial and commercial center of London. A center of population, commerce, and culture; a town of significant size and importance.
What are three basic characteristics of a city?
What are the three basic characteristics of a city? Locally elected officials, ability to raise taxes, and responsibility for essential services.
What is city short for?
Acronym. Definition. CITY. Can I Trust You?
How do you describe a city?
A list of useful words for describing cities, towns and countries.
- ancient – a place that has a long history.
- beautiful – very pleasing on the eye.
- boring – dull and not very interesting.
- bustling – a crowded, busy place.
- charming – nice, very pleasing.
- contemporary – modern, very up to date.
How can I describe my city in English?
My city is big and lovely. It’s welcoming. It’s really big and there are lots of things to do there. It’s one of the most beautiful cities you’ve ever seen….Here is a non-exhaustive list of Adjectives that you can use for your description:
- Cosmopolitan.
- Expensive.
- Appealing.
- Perfect.
- Well-developed.
- Dangerous.
- Safe.
- Welcoming.
How can I describe my location in English?
2.3 Describing location
- In is used for areas, such as towns, cities, regions, countries etc.
- At is used for particular places or points, and for stopping places on journeys:
- On is used for places which you can think of as being on a line:
- Between indicates position relative to two other references:
How do you describe someone in a city?
Words for people who come from a town or city – thesaurus
- burgher. noun. old-fashioned someone who lives in a town or city, especially someone who is rich and well respected.
- citizen. noun.
- city slicker. noun.
- suburbanite. noun.
- townie. noun.
- townsfolk. noun.
- townspeople. noun.
- urban warrior. noun.
How do you describe a scene in writing?
Good description should make a scene vivid to the reader. That means it should be clear, strong, and believable. This applies to both real places and events, or imaginary ones. When writing descriptively you should consider the time and place.
What is the adjective for City?
Examples: “She’s a city girl” (lives in a big city and likes it there); “You can see more stars at night if you go somewhere away from city lights”. Another adjective (for city) is “urban” (even though that word doesn’t even remotely resemble “city”).
What is a plural word for city?
The plural form of city is cities.
What is the adjective of fruit?
adjective, fruit·i·er, fruit·i·est. resembling fruit; having the taste or smell of fruit. rich in flavor; pungent. excessively sweet or mellifluous; cloying; syrupy: a specialist in fruity prose; to read poetry in a fruity voice.
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This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
adjective
of, relating to, or designating a city or town: densely populated urban areas.
living, located, or taking place in a city: urban rooftop gardening.
characteristic of or accustomed to cities; citified: He’s an urban type—I can’t picture him enjoying a whole week at our cabin in the woods.
of or relating to the experience, lifestyle, or culture of African Americans living in economically depressed inner-city neighborhoods: Their first album had a hard, urban vibe.
Offensive. (used as a euphemism for Black or African American, rather than in reference to cities or their residents): a drug problem that particularly impacts the urban residents in this small town.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Which sentence is correct?
Origin of urban
First recorded in 1610–20; from Latin urbānus, equivalent to urb- (stem of urbs ) “city” + -ānus adjective suffix; see -an
historical usage of urban
In the United States, racial identities have historically been interwoven with disparate economic and geographical experiences. This has given rise to a coded language in which the terms urban and suburban have distinct racial connotations.
In the early 20th century, factories in northern cities recruited large numbers of African Americans from southern states. This migration north transformed the historically rural Black American experience into an urban one.
In the 1950s, courts outlawed segregation and mandated the racial integration of schools, resulting in decades of white flight . Many white families abandoned inner-city neighborhoods, relocating themselves and their assets to suburban communities. Discrimination over the years kept suburbia largely white and wealthy, enjoying well-funded school districts and other amenities.
Meanwhile, urban life, especially in the inner city , became increasingly associated with poverty and decay. In response, the government built housing projects for low-income residents, but this further concentrated poverty in isolated neighborhoods (ghettos that became popularly known as ‘hoods ).
By the end of the 20th century, inner-city urban life was associated with African Americans of low socioeconomic status. Similarly, in discussions about poverty, crime, and drugs, the terms inner-city and urban became convenient euphemisms for Black —a way to avoid implying causality between race and life circumstance.
The term urban can factually describe a particular living situation, for example, urban poverty versus rural poverty. However, as a euphemism for slums, crime, or race, the use of the term urban is inaccurate, outdated, and offensive.
Such use is inaccurate and outdated because city neighborhoods have been steadily changing. Urban renewal and gentrification have brought new residents and assets to city centers. Urban poverty still exists, but its current manifestation doesn’t match the stereotypes of decay, gang violence, and drug culture built around news stories and images from the 1970s and 1980s.
Even more offensive is the inaccurate substitution of urban to mean Black when not referring to city dwellers. If two cowboys get into a fist fight in a rural honky-tonk, and if one of them is white and one is Black, the reporting of that story should in no way refer to one of those men as urban .
Even accurate use of the word urban may raise troubling racial issues. If someone who authentically claims an urban identity creates a line of clothing and markets it to suburban consumers, is calling that clothing urban acceptable? Does the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album promote recognition of R & B fusion artists, or does it mean that there are two separate but equal Grammy Awards for Album of the Year?
It should be clear whether one is talking about race (Black civil rights leaders), poverty (educational opportunities for low socioeconomic status students), or geography (urban food insecurity and rural hunger).
While the terms urban or inner-city can evoke one specific minority experience in the United States, they should not be used interchangeably with racial identity words like Black or African American . Nor should suburban be used indiscriminately to reference white America. Each of these circumstances and identities is a mix of class and geography, albeit with strong racial associations. The terms urban and suburban should therefore be used mindfully and only when evoking all aspects of those specific American experiences.
OTHER WORDS FROM urban
an·ti·ur·ban, adjectivenon·ur·ban, adjectivesem·i·ur·ban, adjectiveun·ur·ban, adjective
Words nearby urban
Urartu, urase, urate, Urawa, urb, urban, Urbana, urban area, urban blues, urban contemporary, Urbandale
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Words related to urban
civic, civil, downtown, metropolitan, burghal, central, citified, inner-city, municipal, nonrural, oppidan, popular, public, town, village
How to use urban in a sentence
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Impact-focused OZ investment is not restricted to urban communities.
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In fact, human-food sources accounted for as much as 60 to 75 percent of what urban coyotes ate.
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A large chunk of the fine particulate matter pollution in urban areas—ranging from 20 to 70 percent—is secondary organic aerosols, or SOAs.
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What’s more, these districts are similar in that they are relatively racially diverse and urban, which partly explains progressives’ success here.
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For instance, there’s Margaret Anadu, head of Goldman Sachs’s urban investment group.
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We see detoxing as a path to transcendence, a symbol of modern urban virtue and self-transformation through abstinence.
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In the wee hours of Christmas morning, a flight deal was shared in an exclusive Facebook group for urban travelers.
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Young, hip, urban millennials are using tools like Instagram to become one of the fastest growing travel markets.
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His New Deal Coalition brought together Southerners, Northern ethnic minorities, and urban blacks under the same banner.
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The former provides entrepreneurial training and educational programs for youths from low-income urban areas around the world.
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Urban property and lands were assessed at values far beyond those at which the owners truly estimated them.
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Today in the cities, and particularly in the quickly growing urban areas, there are different conditions.
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But what, in the name of the great prince, is the meaning of her declining the urban expedition?
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I could find no solution, unless it be that instinctive belief of a city-bred civilization that all joys are urban.
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At sight of him Urban smiled again, and would have spoken; for he recognized the great Duke.
British Dictionary definitions for urban
adjective
of, relating to, or constituting a city or town
living in a city or town
(of music) emerging and developing in densely populated areas of large cities, esp those populated by people of African or Caribbean originCompare rural
Word Origin for urban
C17: from Latin urbānus, from urbs city
Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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