metropolis
me.trop.o.lis \m*-'tra:p-(*-)l*s\ n [LL, fr. Gk me-tropolis, fr. me-tr-, me-te-r moth]er + polis city - more at MOTHER, POLICE 1: the mother city or state of a colony esp. in ancient Greece 2: the chief or capital city of a country, state, or region 3: a principal seat or center of an activity