English Reference

Word

citation

Phoneticsci·ta·tion

US/saɪˈteɪʃən/

UK/saɪtˈeɪʃən/

Definitions

02award for achievement

C1

n. a formal statement or award that praises someone for doing something brave or special.

n. a formal commendation or public statement of praise, especially for military service or distinguished achievement.

“The soldier received a citation for bravery after saving his teammates during the storm.”

“The university president read a formal citation detailing the professor's forty years of groundbreaking research and service to the community.”

Formal

03legal summons

B2 · Law

n. an official paper that tells you to go to court or pay a fine for a small crime.

n. an official summons or notice issued by a court or law enforcement agency, often for minor offences like traffic violations.

“The police officer gave the driver a citation for speeding in a school zone.”

“Failure to respond to the citation within thirty days may result in an automatic warrant for the individual's arrest.”

American English

Real-World Examples

“The State Department’s report summarizes large portions of that book’s arguments without citation, particularly in its attention to the Tricontinental’s historical relationship with the U.S.”
The Conversation · 25 Aug 2026
“The “citations … appear to be AI hallucinated, rather than being based on real sources,” it said.”
The Guardian · 17 Aug 2026

Word family

citationNounciteVerb

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/citation

English Reference