metropolitan

a. [ L. metropolitanus: cf. F. métropolitain. ] 1. Of or pertaining to the capital or principal city of a country; as, metropolitan luxury. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Eccl.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, a metropolitan or the presiding bishop of a country or province, his office, or his dignity; as, metropolitan authority. “Bishops metropolitan.” Sir T. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. metropolitanus. ] 1. The superior or presiding bishop of a country or province. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Lat. Church.) An archbishop. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Gr. Church) A bishop whose see is a civil metropolis. His rank is intermediate between that of an archbishop and a patriarch; as, the metropolitan of Constantinople. Hook. [ 1913 Webster ]