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cité

housing estate, city district

noun see-TEH Less Common

Origin: Latin 'civitas' (community of citizens)

Also means

ancient city, citadel

Usage Note

cité in modern French most often refers to a large social-housing complex on the outskirts of a city—une cité HLM. This is distinct from the general word ville (town/city). Historically it also means an ancient city or the historic heart of a city, as in la Cité on the Île de la Cité in Paris.

Examples

"Il a grandi dans une cité de banlieue."

Natural Translation

He grew up in a suburban housing estate.

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