City of Westminster

3.4

A part of central London along the River Thames with landmarks like Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey

proper noun

: Ciudad de Westminster

Buckingham Palace is located in the City of Westminster.

Examples

The City of Westminster council oversees a large area of central London.
Many tourists visit the City of Westminster to see Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey.
The City of Westminster is home to some of the most famous landmarks in London.
The City of Westminster is known for its historical significance.
Many tourists visit the City of Westminster to see Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey.
The City of Westminster is home to some of the most famous landmarks in London.
Buckingham Palace is located in the City of Westminster.

Synonyms

Westminster

vsCity of Westminster

64 3.8

An area in central London by the River Thames with the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey

is the official name used instead of the shorter common name

Surface Forms

City of Westminster main

Morphology

city + of + Westminster

The phrase is fully compositional: combining 'city' + 'of' + the proper name 'Westminster' straightforwardly denotes the urban area called Westminster. The 'City of X' naming pattern is common and predictable across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily infer it refers to the city/borough named Westminster (even if they lack local knowledge of landmarks).

Etymology

City of Westminster gets its name from the old abbey and royal palace in that area. The word combines west and minster, an old word for 'church' or 'monastery', so it once meant the 'western church' and that is why today the City of Westminster is the part of London with the big royal sites and the houses of 'government'.