metic: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Academic, Literary, Historical
Quick answer
What does “metic” mean?
A foreigner living in an ancient Greek city who had some of the privileges of citizenship but not full political rights.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A foreigner living in an ancient Greek city who had some of the privileges of citizenship but not full political rights.
A person who lives in a place (typically a city) to which they are foreign or do not fully belong, often carrying a sense of being an outsider or resident alien. In contemporary contexts, it can metaphorically describe someone who is an outsider within a particular community or organization.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage, as the term is specialized and rare in both varieties.
Connotations
In both varieties, the term connotes historical/ancient context, formal analysis, and a degree of social exclusion or partial integration.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both BrE and AmE. Slightly more likely to be encountered in BrE due to the traditional focus on Classics in some educational curricula, but the difference is marginal.
Grammar
How to Use “metic” in a Sentence
[determiner] + metic + [prepositional phrase: in/of Athens]the + metic + [relative clause]live as a meticVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “metic” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- His metic status barred him from owning land within the city walls.
- The play explores the metic experience in Periclean Athens.
American English
- The metic population contributed significantly to the Athenian economy.
- She wrote her thesis on metic artisans in classical Greece.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in historical, classical studies, and sociological texts discussing ancient societies or concepts of citizenship and belonging.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would likely be misunderstood.
Technical
Used as a precise term in historical scholarship.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “metic”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “metic”
- Using it as a general synonym for 'immigrant'.
- Mispronouncing it as /ˈmiːtɪk/ (like 'metre').
- Confusing it with 'mimic'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very rare and highly specialized term, almost exclusively used in academic or historical discussions about Ancient Greece.
No, 'metic' is solely a noun (and can be used attributively as an adjective, e.g., 'metic status'). There is no established verb form.
It comes from the Greek 'metoikos', meaning 'one who changes his dwelling', from 'meta-' (change) and 'oikos' (house).
While both involve living in a foreign place, 'metic' refers to a specific legal and social status in the ancient world, involving partial integration and specific obligations/restrictions. 'Immigrant' is a broad modern term without that precise legal-historical framework.
A foreigner living in an ancient Greek city who had some of the privileges of citizenship but not full political rights.
Metic is usually formal, academic, literary, historical in register.
Metic: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɛtɪk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɛtɪk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A metic in one's own land (rare, metaphorical)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: METIC = METropolitan + Foreigner In the City (of ancient Greece).
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL/POLITICAL STATUS IS A CONTAINER (partial membership); THE NATION/STATE IS A BODY (metics are not full members of the body politic).
Practice
Quiz
In a modern metaphorical sense, calling someone a 'metic' implies they are: