urbanization
er-buh-nih-ZAY-shun
/ˌɜːrbənaɪˈzeɪʃən/
The process of making an area more urban; the movement of populations from rural to urban areas.
Urbanization is not just about building cities, but about the social and psychological changes that occur when people live in dense environments.
The story behind the word. Derived from the Latin 'urbs', which referred specifically to the city of Rome. The suffix '-ization' was added in the 19th century as the Industrial Revolution drove millions into cities.
Word relationships
- urban sprawl: A negative term for the uncontrolled expansion of urban areas.
- metropolitanization: Specifically refers to the growth of large metropolitan areas.
- ruralization: The process of making an area more rural or the movement of people back to the countryside.
- depopulation: The substantial reduction in the population of an area.
Commonly confused with
- urbanism: Urbanism is the study of how inhabitants of urban areas interact with the built environment, whereas urbanization is the process of city growth.
Word family
- urban (adjective): relating to a city or town
- urbanize (verb): to make an area urban
Collocations
- rapid urbanization
- urbanization rate
- impact of urbanization
- rural-to-urban urbanization
Example sentences
- "The city is the point of maximum concentration for the power and culture of a community... the process of urbanization." Historical urban theory.
- "Rapid urbanization in developing countries often leads to the creation of sprawling informal settlements." Modern environmental impact.
Memory hook
'Urbs' sounds like 'herbs'—but urbanization is the opposite; it's replacing the herbs (nature) with the city. From herbs to urbs.
When not to use
Do not use it to describe the mere existence of a city; it refers to the process of growth and change.
Fun facts
- For the first time in history, more than 50% of the world's population now lives in urban areas.
- The 'Urbs' was the walled part of Rome, while the 'Civitas' was the body of citizens.
Related words
Explore more words
sprawl, densification, conurbation, revitalization, outskirts, gentrification
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