primate city

noun

A city in a geographic region that is much more populous than any other cities in that region.

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Meanings

nounprimate city (plural primate cities)

plural primate cities

  1. A city in a geographic region that is much more populous than any other cities in that region.

Origin

From primate + city, coined in 1939 by Mark Jefferson.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

primate city. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/primate%20city

MLA

“primate city.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/primate%20city. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “primate city,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/primate%20city.

Source: primate city on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.