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citizen definition

Overview

This page has 8 definitions of citizen in English. Citizen is a noun. Examples of how to use citizen in a sentence are shown. Also define these 0 related words and terms: .

See also: Citizen

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English citeseyn, citezein, borrowed from Anglo-Norman citesain (burgher; city-dweller), citezein etc., probably a variant of cithein under influence of deinzein (denizen), from Anglo-Norman and Old French citeain etc. and citaien, citeien etc. ("burgher"; modern French citoyen), from cité ("settlement; cathedral city, city"; modern French cité) + -ain or -ien (-an, -ian). See city and hewe.

Pronunciation

Noun

citizen (plural citizens)

  1. A resident of a city or town, especially one with legally-recognized rights or duties. [from 14th c.]
    Synonyms: burgess, burgher, cityite, freeman
    Hyponyms: citess, (female) citizeness
  2. A legally-recognized member of a state, with associated rights and obligations; a person considered in terms of this role. [from 14th c.]
    • 1990, House of Cards, season 1, episode 4:
      Assistant: You'll meet with the managing director and Dr Sinita Brahmachari, the engineer who designed the chair.
      Peter Mackenzie: Indian, is he?
      Assistant: She is a British citizen, Minister. Born in Coventry.
    • 2012 January, Steven Sloman, “The Battle Between Intuition and Deliberation”, in American Scientist[1], volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 8 January 2012, page 74:
      Libertarian paternalism is the view that, because the way options are presented to citizens affects what they choose, society should present options in a way that “nudges” our intuitive selves to make choices that are more consistent with what our more deliberative selves would have chosen if they were in control.
    I am a Roman citizen.
    Synonyms: countryman, national
    Antonyms: alien, illegal alien, foreigner, (colloquial) illegal
    Hyponyms: first-class citizen, second-class citizen, third-class citizen, native, naturalized citizen, senior citizen, corporate citizen
  3. An inhabitant or occupant: a member of any place. [from 14th c.]
    Diogenes reckoned himself a citizen of the world.
    • 1979 October, Boys' Life, page 33:
      A jellyfish... carries poison cells that can sting other citizens of the sea.
    Synonyms: denizen, local, inhabitant, native, occupant, resident
    Antonyms: alien, outsider, stranger
  4. (Christianity) A resident of the heavenly city or (later) of the kingdom of God: a Christian; a good Christian. [from 15th c.]
  5. A civilian, as opposed to a police officer, soldier, or member of some other specialized (usually state) group. [from 16th c.]
  6. (obsolete) An ordinary person, as opposed to nobles and landed gentry on one side and peasants, craftsmen, and laborers on the other. [17th–19th c.]
    • 1782, Frances Burney, Cecilia, III.v.6:
      [W]ould Mr. Delvile, who hardly ever spoke but to the high-born, without seeming to think his dignity somewhat injured, deign to receive for a daughter in law the child of a citizen and tradesman?
  7. (now historical, usually capitalized) A term of address among French citizens during the French Revolution or towards its supporters elsewhere; (later, dated) a term of address among socialists and communists. [from 18th c.]
    Synonym: (term of address among communists) comrade
  8. (computing) An object.
    Hyponyms: first-class citizen, second-class citizen, third-class citizen

Synonyms

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Translations

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References

  • Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd ed. "citizen, n. and adj." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2014.

Anagrams