noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈɜː(ɹ)bənɪzəm/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:ER1 B AH0 N IH0 Z AH0 M
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The study of cities, their geographic, economic, political, social, and cultural environment.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The culture or way of life of people who live in cities.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: urbiculture
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Urbanization.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Urban planning.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English urban Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English urbanism From urban + -ism.
Across languages
Translations
22 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Estonian:
urbanistika
— study of cities
Finnish:
kaupunkitutkimus
— study of cities
French:
urbanisme
— study of cities
German:
Urbanistik
— study of cities
Italian:
urbanistica
— study of cities
Luxembourgish:
Urbanismus
— study of cities
Malay:
urbanisme
— study of cities
Polish:
urbanistyka
— study of cities
Romanian:
urbanism
— study of cities
Romanian:
urbanistică
— study of cities
Russian:
урбани́зм
(urbanízm)
— study of cities
Russian:
урбани́стика
(urbanístika)
— study of cities
Welsh:
trefolaeth
— study of cities
Crimean Tatar:
urbanizm
— culture of people who live in cities
Estonian:
urbanism
— culture of people who live in cities
Finnish:
kaupunkikulttuuri
— culture of people who live in cities
Finnish:
kaupunkilaiskulttuuri
— culture of people who live in cities
German:
Stadtleben
— culture of people who live in cities
Irish:
uirbeachas
— culture of people who live in cities
Malay:
urbanisme
— culture of people who live in cities
Polish:
urbanizm
— culture of people who live in cities
Welsh:
trefolrwydd
— culture of people who live in cities