ENGLISH
REFERENCE

municipal

adj. · n.
US //mjuˈnɪsəpəɫ// UK //mjuːnˈɪsɪpəl// mu·nic·i·pal
  1. 1 public services (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    provided by a city or town for the people who live there.

    relating to the services or infrastructure provided by a local government, such as waste management or water supply.

    Example

    The city built a new municipal swimming pool that is free for all residents.

    Example

    Efficient municipal waste management is a cornerstone of urban sustainability in rapidly growing metropolitan areas.
  2. 2 finance/bonds (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Finance

    a type of investment where you lend money to a city government.

    a debt security or bond issued by a city, county, or state to finance public projects. Often shortened to 'muni' in informal financial contexts.

    Example

    Many people invest in municipals because the interest is often tax-free.

    Example

    The city issued a series of municipals to fund the construction of the new light rail system.

    Teacher's tip

    In professional financial circles, the plural 'municipals' or the clipping 'munis' is more common than the singular form.
Origin

Borrowed from French municipal, from Latin mūnicipālis (“of or belonging to a citizen or a free town”), from mūniceps (“a citizen, an inhabitant of a free town”), from mūnus (“duty”) + capiō (“to take”).

Word family

© 2026 English Reference