metropolis

Where does the word "metropolis" come from? It comes from Greek meter, and was adopted directly into English (1500s).

Metropolis’s story begins in Greek: meter meant “mother.” Mother, combined with polis (city) for a city that founded colonies. It reached English by 1500s as metropolis. Settled as the word for a large, important city. Today, metropolis means a large and important city, especially a country's capital.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient meter "mother", mother, combined with polis (city) for a city that founded colonies.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1500s metropolis "a large and important city", settled as the word for a large, important city.