Word
citizenry
Phoneticscit·i·zen·ry, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsɪtɪzənɹi/
UK/sˈɪtɪzənɹi/
FormalPolitics
Definition
n. the people who live in a country and have the legal rights and duties of that country. It is a more formal way to talk about the general public.
n. the body of people who are legally recognized as members of a particular country. Often used in political or sociological contexts to refer to the collective population.
Examples
“The government must listen to the needs of the citizenry.”
“The new law was designed to protect the citizenry from rising crime rates in the city center.”
“Political theorists often debate whether a healthy democracy requires an informed citizenry or if it can function effectively with a population that remains largely apathetic to the legislative process.”
Examples
simple
“The government must listen to the needs of the citizenry.”
contextual
“The new law was designed to protect the citizenry from rising crime rates in the city center.”
complex
“Political theorists often debate whether a healthy democracy requires an informed citizenry or if it can function effectively with a population that remains largely apathetic to the legislative process.”
Real-World Examples
“Pennsylvania and Florida legislators argue, for example, that an informed citizenry needs to be able to read historical documents, which are often written in cursive script.” Etymology
From citizen + -ry.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/citizenry