megalopolis
UK[ˌmɛɡəˈlɒpəlɪs]US[ˌmɛɡəˈlɑːpəlɪs]
n
A very large, densely populated urban area, typically consisting of several cities and towns that have grown and merged together.
Morpheme Breakdown
mega
lopolis
mega
large
lopolis
city
Etymology
The term 'megalopolis' is a modern coinage, directly constructed from ancient greek elements. It combines 'megas', meaning 'great', with 'polis', the foundational greek word for a city-state, which itself has a complex indo-european lineage. The word was first used in the early 20th century by geographers to describe an extensive, interconnected metropolitan region. Its logic is transparently literal, denoting a 'great city' on a super-scale, evolving from the concept of a single city-state to a vast urban conglomeration.
Analysis
Structure: mega (large) + lopolis (city)
mega is from greek, meaning 'large' or 'great', functioning as an augmentative prefix. lopolis is from greek 'polis', meaning 'city', functioning as the core noun root.
Examples
The northeastern seaboard of the united states, from boston to washington d.c., is often cited as a classic example of a megalopolis.
Urban planners study the challenges of transportation and resource management in a growing megalopolis.
The rapid development transformed the region into a sprawling megalopolis with a population exceeding twenty million.