cite
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
cites,
present (3rd person singular)
-
cited,
past participle, past
-
citing
present participle
-
to quote (a passage, book, author, etc.), especially as an authority.
He cited the Constitution in his defense.
-
to mention in support, proof, or confirmation; refer to as an example.
He cited many instances of abuse of power.
-
to summon officially or authoritatively to appear in court.
-
to call to mind; recall.
citing my gratitude to him.
-
Military. to mention (a soldier, unit, etc.) in orders, as for gallantry.
-
to commend, as for outstanding service, hard work, or devotion to duty.
-
to summon or call; rouse to action.
noun
verb
-
to quote or refer to (a passage, book, or author) in substantiation as an authority, proof, or example
-
to mention or commend (a soldier, etc) for outstanding bravery or meritorious action
-
to summon to appear before a court of law
-
to enumerate
he cited the king's virtues
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
citernoun
-
citableadjective
-
citeableadjective
-
noncitableadjective
-
nonciteableadjective
-
uncitableadjective
-
unciteableadjective
-
uncitedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
citesimple
-
citessimple
-
have citedperfect
-
has citedperfect
-
am citingprogressive
-
are citingprogressive
-
is citingprogressive
-
have been citingperfect progressive
-
has been citingperfect progressive
Past
-
citedsimple
-
had citedperfect
-
was citingprogressive
-
were citingprogressive
-
had been citingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of cite1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin citāre “to hurry, set in motion, summon before a court,” frequentative of ciēre “to move, set in motion”
Origin of cite2
An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; by shortening
Explanation
To cite something means to do right by whoever said it and give them credit — for instance, if you add a brilliant statement to a paper but you’re not the one who originally wrote it, you should cite, or point to, the original author. Using cite with the meaning "to reference" or "to note" is just one of several similar uses. A military or other official report can cite someone for an outstanding act of service, and a legal representative can cite individuals, or summon them, to show up in court. To cite a source when writing or verbally repeating something first spoken by someone else is to give a "citation" or "notation" that gives credit where credit is due.
Vocabulary lists containing cite
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
But would one want Mr. Ashmanskas, to cite a prime example, to subdue his vivid flair for silliness?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
To cite a warning about shrinking water supply that experts in the West have been issuing for decades, “There is no soft landing.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
Social media firms have indicated the take-up of safety and control features like this has been low and cite it as evidence users like their products the way they are.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Nor will the innovations around the edges that Messrs. Wippman and Altschuler cite as proof of “experimentation.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
They cite the great penetrating power of radiation, but doubt that chemicals could reach the germ cells.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
Kigali considers it a security threat and cites its presence in eastern DR Congo to justify its military posture.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
The reason Goldman Sachs cites for its target downgrade is not a decline in earnings.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
Streaming service cites “intense competition’ and acknowledges ‘some investor concern about our view hours growth.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
The agreement repeatedly cites a set of “Implementation Documents” that will finalize the U.S. ownership stake and the rights of unnamed investors.
From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026
To get a better sense of the decimation, McAuliffe looked at the Authentic Osage Indian Roll Book, which cites the deaths of many of the original allotted members of the tribe.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
Kozack cited the country's severe financing constraints from before the outbreak of the war, and said its very narrow non-oil revenue base was also putting pressure on the fiscal balance.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
When asked about the financial conditions for buying a car, University of Michigan researchers found that 24% of consumers cited interest-rate concerns.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026
Anthropic cited IDC estimates that investment in AI solutions and services will lead to a cumulative global economic impact of $22.5 trillion by 2031.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
Protecting immigrant communities was the third-most cited concern, with 21%, followed by balancing the city budget at 17%.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
Ironically, in his decision, the judge cited the HeLa cell line as a precedent for what happened with the Mo cell line.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia was removed this week from his role as head of strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the magazine reported, citing unidentified defense department officials.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
Shares dropped after the company issued a more cautious outlook on top-line growth for 2026, citing challenging conditions in Germany and supply constraints for biosimilar drugs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
There were around 200 passengers on board when they were ordered to disembark in Cambodia, Bloomberg reported, citing the cruise operator's founder.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
Last week, the company halted its review of a potential U.S. listing of flash-memory subsidiary Solidigm, citing unfavorable market conditions and recent share-price trends.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
After ignoring the students for two hours, the manager closed Woolworth’s, citing a telephoned bomb threat.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
