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civitas

American  
[siv-i-tas, kee-wi-tahs] / ˈsɪv ɪˌtæs, ˈki wɪˌtɑs /

noun

plural

civitates
  1. the body of citizens who constitute a state, especially a city-state, commonwealth, or the like.

  2. citizenship, especially as imparting shared responsibility, a common purpose, and sense of community.


Etymology

Origin of civitas

From Latin cīvitās; literally, “commmunity of citizens, citizenship,” equivalent to cīvis “citizen, fellow citizen” + -tās -ty 2 ( def. )

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.

In addition to maintaining their frontier with an army, Romans carried on a perpetual debate about citizenship, or civitas, and whether to extend its benefits to different groups.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

To gain civitas at birth, a person needed to be the child of two citizens.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

Bell's book is the year's most promising start on the long road back to civitas.

From Time Magazine Archive

Harvey, a self-educated college dropout, talks a lot about William James, agora, public squares and preaching civitas.

From Time Magazine Archive

Nulla magis civitas argento, vestibus, auro Partibus innumeris; hac plurimus urbe moratur Nauta marit coelique vias aperiri peritus.

From The Naples Riviera by Vaughan, Herbert M. (Herbert Millingchamp)