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Glite Dictionary
City of Brotherly Love

City of Brotherly Love

1 4.0
A nickname for the city of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, United States
  • proper noun
  • /ˈsɪti əv ˈbrʌðərli lʌv/
translation icon : Ciudad del Amor Fraternal
  • Every year, many people visit the City of Brotherly Love to see its historic landmarks.

Examples

  • Hope Primas, a former resident of Texas, now enjoys life in the City of Brotherly Love.

  • Many historic events took place in the City of Brotherly Love, especially during the American Revolution.

  • She's moving to the City of Brotherly Love to start her new job at the university.

  • The nickname City of Brotherly Love reflects Philadelphia's origins and welcoming spirit.

  • I visited the City of Brotherly Love last summer.

  • Have you ever been to the City of Brotherly Love?

  • Bill and I will be in the City of Brotherly Love for the weekend.

Synonyms

Philadelphia
vsCity of Brotherly Love
471 1.6

A large city in Pennsylvania where the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution were signed

refers to the city by a nickname rather than the actual place
Philly
vsCity of Brotherly Love
  • Informal
161 7.9

A nickname for the city of Philadelphia

is a nickname used generally rather than informally or affectionately

Surface Forms

City of Brotherly Love main

Morphology

city + of + brotherly + love

The phrase transparently combines 'city' with the concept 'brotherly love', so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can infer it means a city characterized by fraternal affection. However, the conventionalized, culture-specific reference to Philadelphia as a fixed nickname is not derivable from the words alone, so full meaning requires extra cultural knowledge.

Etymology

The name City of Brotherly Love comes from the Greek name Philadelphia, which literally means 'brotherly love'. One popular story says the city's founder chose that name because he wanted a friendly, welcoming place, so the nickname reminds people of that idea.