English
free city
From free (adjective) + city (noun).
Proto-Indo-European *preyH- ‘to please; to love’
…
Proto-Germanic *frijaz ‘free’
Proto-West Germanic *frī ‘free’
Old English frēo ‘free, at liberty’
Middle English fre ‘having the status of a freeman’
English free
Proto-Indo-European *ḱey- ‘to settle, be lying down’
…
Latin cīvis ‘citizen’
Latin cīvitās ‘citizenship; the state, citizens’
Old French citet ‘city’
Middle English cite ‘a city’
English city
Today it means
noun Any of various types of city of Europe from classical to modern times, characterised by relative autonomy and/or being responsible only and directly to a king or emperor; a more modern city of such type, sometimes elsewhere than in Europe.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / free city