metropolitans

Metropolitans are a term with two principal uses in English. In ecclesiastical contexts, a metropolitan is a senior bishop who presides over a metropolitan see within an ecclesiastical province, with jurisdiction over one or more suffragan bishops. The title appears in several Christian traditions, including the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican churches. The exact authority of a metropolitan varies by rite and country, but it typically includes oversight of church matters within the province and a formal role in liturgical arrangements, administration, and the appointing of other bishops. The plural metropolitans refers to several bishops holding this rank.

In secular and geographical usage, metropolitan describes a metropolis and its surrounding region. A metropolitan area or metro area comprises the core city and nearby municipalities that are economically and socially integrated through commuting, trade, and shared infrastructure. In the United States, terms such as metropolitan statistical area (MSA) and combined statistical area (CSA) are used for statistical purposes; other countries employ similar concepts under different names. Metropolitan regions are common units in urban planning, transportation, and regional policy, and they vary in size and governance from formal metropolitan authorities to informal regional designations.

The word derives from the Greek metropolis, meaning “mother city.”