the freedom of the city
noun/ðə ˌfriːdəm əv ðə ˈsɪti/
/ðə ˌfriːdəm əv ðə ˈsɪti/
[uncountable]- an honour that a particular city gives to people. It is usually given to a famous person by the city that they live in or were born in, or to a person who has done some good work for a city. It is a historical title, and does not give the person any special rights. In the US, a person who is given the freedom of the city is also given a large key as a symbol of the honour. For this reason the honour is commonly called the keys to the city.
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
Check pronunciation:
the freedom of the city