Definition

Proper noun 1. A major city: The capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, located on the River Thames in southeastern England. It is a global financial, industrial, and cultural center. 2. A personal name: A surname, notably of Jack London (1876–1916), a United States writer famous for novels based on experiences in the Klondike gold rush.

Usage Examples

• As a place name:
  • London is one of the world's most visited cities.
  • They moved to London for work opportunities.
  • The history of London spans nearly two millennia.
• As a surname:
  • Have you read any books by Jack London?
  • The author London wrote "The Call of the Wild."

Advanced Usage

• "The City of London": Specifically refers to London's historic and financial core, also known as the Square Mile, which is a distinct administrative area.
  • Many global banks have their headquarters in the City of London.
• "Greater London": Refers to the administrative region encompassing the 32 London boroughs and the City of London.
  • The population of Greater London is over 9 million.

Variants and Related Words

• Londoner (noun): A person who comes from or lives in London.
  • As a lifelong Londoner, she knows the city well.

Synonyms

• For the city: The Big Smoke, The Capital, The Great Wen (historical/literary).
• For the surname: N/A (proper noun).

Related Phrases

• "London Bridge": A famous bridge over the River Thames and a well-known nursery rhyme.
  • London Bridge is falling down...
• "Foggy London Town": A poetic or historical reference to London's famous smog and fog.
  • The stories were set in foggy London town.

Related Idioms

• "Send someone to London": This is not a standard idiom. However, the phrase "It's like the streets of London" is sometimes used informally to describe a place that is very busy or crowded.
  • The market today was like the streets of London.

Noun

1. United States writer of novels based on experiences in the Klondike gold rush (1876-1916)
2. the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center