cite
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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cites,
present (3rd person singular)
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cited,
past participle, past
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citing
present participle
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to quote (a passage, book, author, etc.), especially as an authority.
He cited the Constitution in his defense.
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to mention in support, proof, or confirmation; refer to as an example.
He cited many instances of abuse of power.
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to summon officially or authoritatively to appear in court.
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to call to mind; recall.
citing my gratitude to him.
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Military. to mention (a soldier, unit, etc.) in orders, as for gallantry.
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to commend, as for outstanding service, hard work, or devotion to duty.
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to summon or call; rouse to action.
noun
verb
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to quote or refer to (a passage, book, or author) in substantiation as an authority, proof, or example
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to mention or commend (a soldier, etc) for outstanding bravery or meritorious action
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to summon to appear before a court of law
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to enumerate
he cited the king's virtues
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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citernoun
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citableadjective
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citeableadjective
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noncitableadjective
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nonciteableadjective
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uncitableadjective
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unciteableadjective
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uncitedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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citesimple
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citessimple
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have citedperfect
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has citedperfect
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am citingprogressive
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are citingprogressive
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is citingprogressive
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have been citingperfect progressive
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has been citingperfect progressive
Past
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citedsimple
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had citedperfect
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was citingprogressive
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were citingprogressive
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had been citingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of cite1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin citāre “to hurry, set in motion, summon before a court,” frequentative of ciēre “to move, set in motion”
Origin of cite2
An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; by shortening
Explanation
To cite something means to do right by whoever said it and give them credit — for instance, if you add a brilliant statement to a paper but you’re not the one who originally wrote it, you should cite, or point to, the original author. Using cite with the meaning "to reference" or "to note" is just one of several similar uses. A military or other official report can cite someone for an outstanding act of service, and a legal representative can cite individuals, or summon them, to show up in court. To cite a source when writing or verbally repeating something first spoken by someone else is to give a "citation" or "notation" that gives credit where credit is due.
Vocabulary lists containing cite
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 2
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The optimists cite robust earnings growth; the pessimists see a bubble in danger of bursting.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
Although the ministry did not cite figures, Maybank says it understands that Raffles Hospital’s Raffles24 Acute & Critical Care clinic has seen roughly a 10% increase in respiratory cases in the past two weeks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
But would one want Mr. Ashmanskas, to cite a prime example, to subdue his vivid flair for silliness?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
To cite a warning about shrinking water supply that experts in the West have been issuing for decades, “There is no soft landing.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
All the regional voting blocs—New England, the Middle Atlantic, and the South—could cite plausible reasons for claiming primacy.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Kigali considers it a security threat and cites its presence in eastern DR Congo to justify its military posture.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
The reason Goldman Sachs cites for its target downgrade is not a decline in earnings.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
The AG cites statements by Meta executives that he claims were false or deceptive.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
Svetz cites camrips and microscopic theatrical windows as factors that have both hindered cinema and strengthened its unique selling points, and he’s completely right.
From Salon ● Oct. 22, 2026
His request is not accepted, although he cites his poor health, and he serves until the end of the war.
From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara
The majority cited a 2013 opinion written by the late Justice Antonin Scalia.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026
Salon: A lot of coverage cited what you said in your farewell message for your last weekend show.
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026
He cited a few reasons why he believes stocks would be particularly vulnerable in such a scenario.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 1, 2026
A subsequent test by AFP, conducted after the claim had been widely debunked, found the AI tools cited professional fact-checkers, reflecting how chatbot responses can be inconsistent.
From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026
Doing so is sometimes termed the “broad base” fallacy, and we’ve already cited a couple of instances of it.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
In September the economy ministry ordered a state-owned energy company to boost gas reserves, citing "ongoing geopolitical risks".
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
The reviewers rated their confidence in the available evidence as low or very low, citing small study populations, conflicting findings, and potential bias in how the trials were conducted.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
Area Chamber of Commerce said it opposes the measure, citing concern over the additional requirements it would impose on businesses and the potential impact on port operations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
Hong lowers the price-to-earnings multiple applied to the stock, citing the adverse impact of higher interest rates and a stronger won on auto demand and export profitability.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Howard declined, citing a most unlikely reason: “We do not care to commercialize Seabiscuit.”
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
