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city and town

Most people simply use city to talk about large and important towns – examples in the UK are Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool and London.

City can be used in a more exact way to talk about a town that has been given a special status by the king or queen (in Britain) or by the state (in some other English-speaking countries).

The City is also a name for London’s financial centre.

  • I’m not sure what his job is: something in The City.

The two words can be used more or less interchangeably in American English, with city often preferred in more prestigious contexts. Compare:

  • The City of Pasadena is governed by a Mayor and a City Council. (not The town of Pasadena is governed …)
  • Pasadena is a small town on the outskirts of Houston. (not … a small city …)