citizenship
Americannoun
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the state of being vested with the rights, privileges, and duties of a citizen.
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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
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the condition or status of a citizen, with its rights and duties
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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
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Citizenship (Civics) - Middle School
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Ancient Greece, Lessons 1–3
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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.
The businessman himself, who renounced his Ukrainian passport some years ago and now has Cypriot citizenship, has dismissed multiple theories.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Argentine President Javier Milei's government said Friday that the country would offer citizenship to foreigners who invest at least $350,000 in the country.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Mr. Hilton relinquished his British citizenship in 2021, becoming American.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
Villegas is in favor of a pathway to citizenship for longtime immigrants as well as a secure border.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
A bill was written asking for approval of citizenship for Bobby Fischer, and an Extraordinary Session of Parliament was called for Saturday, March 21, 2005.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
