The term CITY, INFORMALLY can be solved by two crossword solutions: BURG (4 letters) and URB (3 letters). The term 'BURG' is a shortened version of the German word 'BURG' which means 'CASTLE' or 'FORTRESS'. It is often used to refer to a small town or CITY. The term 'urb' is a shortened version of the Latin word 'urbis' which means 'CITY'. It is often used to refer to a large CITY or metropolitan area. Both terms are commonly used informally to refer to cities.