Meaning & use
city-state
An independent state consisting of a city and its surrounding territory, governing itself without a larger national authority.
See it in a sentence
Ancient Athens was a powerful city-state with its own laws, army, and currency.
Singapore is often described as a modern city-state because of its small territory and independence.
A note on using this word
City-state is commonly used for ancient Greek and Italian examples, as well as a few modern nations like Singapore and Monaco.
Words with a similar meaning
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