Complex sentence: New York City is often referred to collectively as "the five boroughs"; the term is used to refer to New York City as a whole unambiguously, avoiding confusion with any particular borough or with the Greater New York metropolitan area.
Split into simpler sentences: New York City is often referred to collectively as the five boroughs. The term is used to refer to New York City as a whole unambiguously, avoiding confusion with any particular borough or with the Greater New York metropolitan area.