ENGLISH
REFERENCE

citizen

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈsɪtəzən// UK //sˈɪtɪzən// cit·i·zen Archaic General-service

n. a person who is a legal member of a country and has rights there. It can also mean a person who lives in a specific city or town.

n. a legally recognised subject or national of a state or commonwealth, either native or naturalised. The term implies the possession of specific civil rights and duties within a political community.


SIMPLE

Every citizen has the right to vote in the election.

CONTEXTUAL

The local government held a meeting to hear the concerns of every citizen living in the downtown area.

COMPLEX

While the treaty grants freedom of movement to all residents, only a full citizen may hold high-ranking public office or participate in national referendums.

Antonyms
Origin

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.

Usage

Often used with 'of' to indicate the country or city of belonging.

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