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
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 John Brown trial cannot completely resolve today’s birthright citizenship controversy—Brown was a citizen of the U.S., although not of Virginia, at a time when state citizenship was primary—but the implications are undeniable.
From Slate • Apr. 2, 2026
There he sat in the public gallery, Don Corleone-esque, daring the Supreme Court to find fault with his read on birthright citizenship.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026
But Alito later pressed the challengers’ attorney about the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which established the first federal rule for birthright citizenship.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
A D.C. district court blocked the provision requiring documentary proof of citizenship in October.
From Salon • Apr. 1, 2026
When I get home from school, I find Mama in the kitchen, her citizenship study guide open on the counter as she stirs a curry on the stove.
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
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.
