citizen

[ sit-uh-zuhn, -suhn ]

/ ˈsɪt ə zən, -sən /

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See synonyms for: citizen / citizens on Thesaurus.com

noun

a native or naturalized member of a state or nation who owes allegiance to its government and is entitled to its protection (distinguished from alien).

an inhabitant of a city or town, especially one entitled to its privileges or franchises.

an inhabitant, or denizen: The deer is a citizen of our woods.

a civilian, as distinguished from a soldier, police officer, etc.

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Origin of citizen

1275–1325; Middle English citisein<Anglo-French citesein,Old French citeain, equivalent to citecity + -ain-an; Anglo-French s perhaps by association with deinzaindenizen

OTHER WORDS FROM citizen

cit·i·zen·ly, adjectivenon·cit·i·zen, nounun·cit·i·zen·ly, adjectiveun·der·cit·i·zen, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH citizen

citizen , resident

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use citizen in a sentence

The San Diego Union, in a June 1922 editorial, argued that a section of Chicago had just been “ruined” by the “invasion” of a “class” of citizens who had already lived in the area.
Single-Family Zoning’s Century of Supremacy in San Diego|Andrew Keatts|August 26, 2020|Voice of San Diego
“Our responsibility is to our citizens, to help inform their decisions intentionally based on the best science we have rather than letting the market roll out as it rolls out,” Ehlers said.
Environment Report: Real Estate Sellers Aren’t Required to Disclose Sea Level Rise Risk|MacKenzie Elmer|August 24, 2020|Voice of San Diego
While the nation’s wealthier citizens have so far emerged largely unscathed financially from the pandemic, many on low incomes are struggling.
Haves and Have-Nots: Pandemic Recovery Explodes China’s Wealth Gap|Daniel Malloy|August 19, 2020|Ozy
We assume that there are reasonable efforts to allow eligible citizens to vote and to count all legal ballots, and that electors are awarded to the popular-vote winner in each state.
It’s Way Too Soon To Count Trump Out|Nate Silver (nrsilver@fivethirtyeight.com)|August 12, 2020|FiveThirtyEight

For citizens, this means the data created by them and about them will be held in public servers and managed by data trusts.
The EU is launching a market for personal data. Here’s what that means for privacy.|Amy Nordrum|August 11, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Citizens, perhaps, need to feel like they can communicate something to science.
Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST
The citizens of Stevens Point defeated fluoridation by a healthy margin.
Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST
As soon as this attack [happened], Paris citizens came together to show were are not afraid, we are Charlie Hebdo.
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers|Nico Hines|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But the other thing that needs to be done is for us citizens to do.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Our Duty Is to Keep Charlie Hebdo Alive|Ayaan Hirsi Ali|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It is the obligation of citizens and journalists as well as governments.
Why We Stand With Charlie Hebdo—And You Should Too|John Avlon|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The enemy were pursued and annoyed by a few hundred of the citizens under Wooster and Arnold; the former was killed.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
Fajardo seconds the demand of the citizens of Manila that the Audiencia be suppressed, alleging that it does more harm than good.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
Last night again there was all sorts of firing and fighting going on, throughout those hours peaceful citizens ear-mark for sleep.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
They have an old Cathedral here (now Presbyterian) of which the citizens seem quite proud, I can't perceive why.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
Lannes enlisted in the second battalion of the volunteers of Gers, and was at once elected sub-lieutenant by his fellow-citizens.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison

British Dictionary definitions for citizen

citizen

/ (ˈsɪtɪzən) /

noun

a native registered or naturalized member of a state, nation, or other political communityCompare alien

an inhabitant of a city or town

a native or inhabitant of any place

a civilian, as opposed to a soldier, public official, etc

Other words from citizen

Related adjective: civil

Derived forms of citizen

citizeness (ˈsɪtɪzənɪs, -ˌnɛs), fem ncitizenly, adjective

Word Origin for citizen

C14: from Anglo-French citesein, from Old French citeien, from cité, city

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

citizen

Origin of citizen

OTHER WORDS FROM citizen

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH citizen

Words related to citizen

How to use citizen in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for citizen

Other words from citizen

Derived forms of citizen

Word Origin for citizen