New York meaning
the City
Manhattan, especially when contrasted with the outer boroughs or nearby suburbs.
Uses your device’s built-in voice. Pronunciation is approximate because available voices and new york pronunciation vary.
Meaning
In much New York-area speech, the City can refer specifically to Manhattan rather than to all five boroughs of New York City. The exact reference depends on where the speaker is located and what places are being contrasted.
Pronunciation and grammar
/ðə ˈsɪti/ · proper noun phrase
Informal regional place reference.
How it is used
Someone in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Long Island, or nearby suburbs may say they are going into the City when they mean Manhattan. Speakers already in Manhattan may use the phrase differently or simply name a neighborhood.
Examples
Local: We're taking the train into the City tonight.
Plain English: We're taking the train into Manhattan tonight.
Local: She works in the City but lives in Queens.
Plain English: She works in Manhattan but lives in Queens.
Important context
The phrase is context-dependent and can sound Manhattan-centered. New York City legally and culturally includes all five boroughs, not Manhattan alone.