urban

Where does the word "urban" come from? It comes from Latin urbs, passing through Latin before entering English (1600s).

Urban’s story begins in Latin: urbs meant “city.” Rome was 'Urbs', the City, as in the papal blessing 'Urbi et Orbi'. Within Latin, it grew into urbanus by ancient. Of the city, from urbs. It reached English by 1600s as urban. Settled as the English word for something relating to a city or town. Today, urban means relating to a city or densely populated area.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient urbs "city", Rome was 'Urbs', the City, as in the papal blessing 'Urbi et Orbi'.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient urbanus "of the city", of the city, from urbs.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1600s urban "relating to a city or densely populated area", settled as the English word for something relating to a city or town.