- urban (adj.)
- "characteristic of city life," 1610s (but rare before 1830s), from Latin urbanus "of or pertaining to a city or city life," as a noun, "city dweller," from urbs (genitive urbis) "city," of unknown origin. The word gradually emerged in this sense as urbane became restricted to manners and styles of expression. In late 20c. American English gradually acquiring a suggestion of "African-American." Urban renewal, euphemistic for "slum clearance," is attested from 1955, American English. Urban sprawl recorded by 1958. Urban legend attested by 1980.