citizenship
Americannoun
-
the state of being vested with the rights, privileges, and duties of a citizen.
-
the character of an individual viewed as a member of society; behavior in terms of the duties, obligations, and functions of a citizen.
an award for good citizenship.
noun
-
the condition or status of a citizen, with its rights and duties
-
a person's conduct as a citizen
an award for good citizenship
Etymology
Origin of citizenship
Explanation
Citizenship is the status of being a citizen. If you have citizenship in a country, you have the right to live there, work, vote, and pay taxes! Citizenship comes from the Latin word for city, because in the earlier days of human governments, people identified themselves as belonging to cities more than countries. Citizenship is more than merely living somewhere. If you have citizenship, you have a whole set of rights that non-citizens might not have. Usually you have citizenship in the country you're born in, but if you're an immigrant from somewhere else, you have to apply for it.
Vocabulary lists containing citizenship
Michelle Obama's Speech at the 2016 DNC
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Citizenship (Civics) - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Ancient Greece, Lessons 1–3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Citizenship and Immigration Services recommends that applicants submit their paperwork and pay the $555 fee between 120 and 150 days before their benefits expire.
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
He was initially skeptical but became convinced when they sent him videos of residency cards with the Citizenship and Immigration Services logo.
From Salon • May 2, 2026
A spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada told the BBC that each application was "reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine eligibility".
From BBC • May 1, 2026
"And it would be a little surprising if, after 150 years, we suddenly discovered we were applying the Citizenship Clause all wrong."
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
Citizenship and Didu's other weird choices about becoming American seem mundane now, compared to this one: leaving our Bengali Hinduism behind.
From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins
Definitions 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.
