conurbation

views updated May 14 2018

conurbation A term coined by Patrick Geddes in 1915 to describe large-scale city regions such as Greater London, New York/Boston, or the Ruhr. It is not a statistically based concept, but normally refers to one city or a conglomerate of very large cities surrounded by extensive suburbs, which form a continuous urban and industrial built-up environment. In most cases, transportation systems develop to link all districts within the conurbation, so as to create a single urban labour-market or travel-to-work area. Alternative terms are urban agglomeration and, in the United States, metropolitan area.

A Dictionary of Sociology GORDON MARSHALL

conurbation

views updated May 17 2018

con·ur·ba·tion / ˌkänərˈbāshən/ • n. an extended urban area, typically consisting of several towns merging with the suburbs of one or more cities.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

conurbation

views updated May 14 2018

conurbation XX. f. CON- + L. urbs, urb- city (cf. URBAN) + -ATION.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

conurbation

views updated May 18 2018

conurbation. Term coined by Geddes c.1915 for an aggregate of towns linked up to form one built-up area, e.g. the Potteries district of Staffs., or Greater London.

A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture JAMES STEVENS CURL