citation

American  

[sahy-tey-shuhn] / saɪˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. Military. mention of a soldier or a unit in orders, usually for gallantry.

   She received a presidential citation.

2. any award or commendation, as for outstanding service, hard work, or devotion to duty, especially a formal letter or statement recounting a person's achievements.

   Synonyms:

   kudos, reward, laurel, honor, award

3. a summons, especially to appear in court.

4. a document containing such a summons.

5. the act of citing or quoting a reference to an authority or a precedent.

6. a passage cited; quotation.

   Synonyms:

   quote, extract, passage, excerpt

7. Also a quotation showing a particular word or phrase in context.

8. Also mention or enumeration.

---

citation British  

/ ˈsaɪtətərɪ, -trɪ, saɪˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the quoting of a book or author in support of a fact

2. a passage or source cited for this purpose

3. a listing or recounting, as of facts

4. an official commendation or award, esp for bravery or outstanding service, work, etc, usually in the form of a formal statement made in public

5. law

   1. an official summons to appear in court

   2. the document containing such a summons

6. law the quoting of decided cases to serve as guidance to a court

---

Other Word Forms

• citational adjective
• citatory adjective
• noncitation noun
• precitation noun

Etymology

Origin of citation

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English citacio(u)n, from Late Latin citātiōn- (stem of citātiō ), equivalent to Latin citāt(us), past participle of citāre “to set in motion, call before a court” + -iōn- noun suffix; cite ¹ , -ion

Example Sentences

Yet his junior associate admitted to us that he quietly used it to check citations and draft templates, saving hours of repetitive labor.

From Barron's

Under the new pilot program, every driver who is ticketed by the CHP for exceeding 100 mph — regardless of their prior driving record — will have their citation automatically forwarded to the DMV’s Driver Safety Branch.

From Los Angeles Times

The Citrus Heights Police Department chief declined to comment specifically on the case but said that while the citation process isn’t infallible, all individuals who get a summons receive due process.

From The Wall Street Journal

The study also pointed to a potential benefit during literature searches and citation building.

From Science Daily

The economist Joel Waldfogel gave Grinches everywhere their favorite Christmas citation by documenting what many people quietly suspect: Gifts destroy value.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• commendation
• summons