citizen

noun

cit·​i·​zen ˈsi-tə-zən How to pronounce citizen (audio)
 also  -sən
1
a
: a native or naturalized person who owes allegiance to a government and is entitled to protection from it
She was an American citizen but lived most of her life abroad.
b
: a member of a state
2
: an inhabitant of a city or town
especially : one entitled to the rights and privileges of a freeman
3
: a civilian as distinguished from a specialized servant of the state
Soldiers were sent to protect the citizens.
citizenly
ˈsi-tə-zən-lē How to pronounce citizen (audio)
 also  -sən-
adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for citizen

citizen, subject, national mean a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a sovereign state.

citizen is preferred for one owing allegiance to a state in which sovereign power is retained by the people and sharing in the political rights of those people.

the rights of a free citizen

subject implies allegiance to a personal sovereign such as a monarch.

the king's subjects

national designates one who may claim the protection of a state and applies especially to one living or traveling outside that state.

American nationals working in the Middle East

Examples of citizen in a Sentence

She was a United States citizen but lived most of her life abroad. a group of Japanese citizens
Recent Examples on the Web House Bill 1183 carves out exceptions for dual citizens of these countries and the United States, people who are permanent residents of the U.S., and people who are only renting a residential property. Brittany Carloni, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Mar. 2024 Congress overrides his veto but enforcement withers after 1877, when Reconstruction ends and Southern states and municipalities begin enacting Jim Crow laws to segregate citizens by race. Emma Kumer, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, citizens are still fighting for the arts and historic preservation in the downtown. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Immigration authorities deported a Mexican citizen to his home country last month to face charges for murder and other crimes dating back decades. Louis Casiano, Fox News, 8 Mar. 2024 Irish citizens who are 18 or older – some 3.3 million people – are eligible to vote. Michael Kealy and Jill Lawless, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Mar. 2024 Zhukova is also a divorcee, being previously married to Alexander Zhukov, a billionaire energy investor who now resides in London as a British citizen, the New York Times said. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 Not all Cabinet members are eligible to be president — in the Biden administration, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas are both naturalized U.S. citizens and therefore not eligible to be president. Caroline Linton, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2024 This recount stirred not only conspiracy theories, but also worries from citizens that their ballots were not being counted. Amanda Luberto, The Arizona Republic, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'citizen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English citizein, from Anglo-French citezein, alteration of citeien, from cité city

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of citizen was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near citizen

Cite this Entry

“Citizen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/citizen. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

citizen

noun
cit·​i·​zen ˈsit-ə-zən How to pronounce citizen (audio)
1
: a person who lives in a city or town
2
a
: a member of a state
b
: a person who owes allegiance to a government and is protected by it
Etymology

Middle English citizein, "citizen, resident of a town," derived from early French citeien (same meaning), from cité "town," derived from Latin civitas "state of being a resident of a town, citizenship," from civis "citizen" — related to city, civil

Legal Definition

citizen

noun
cit·​i·​zen
1
: a native or naturalized individual who owes allegiance to a government (as of a state or nation) and is entitled to the enjoyment of governmental protection and to the exercise of civil rights see also Scott v. Sandford compare resident

Note: Under the Fourteenth Amendment, “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.” A person born outside of the U.S. to parents who were born or naturalized in the U.S. is also a citizen of the U.S. A corporation is not considered a citizen for purposes of the privileges and immunities clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. A corporation is, however, deemed a citizen of the state in which it is incorporated or has its principal place of business for purposes of diversity jurisdiction.

2
: a resident of a town or state who is also a U.S. native or was naturalized in the U.S.
Etymology

Anglo-French citezein, alteration of Old French citeien, from cité city

More from Merriam-Webster on citizen

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