cite

verb

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\ ˈsīt

cited; citing

Definition of cite

transitive verb

1 : to call upon officially or authoritatively to appear (as before a court)

2 : to quote by way of example, authority, or proof cites several noteworthy authors

3a : to refer to especially : to mention formally in commendation or praise She was cited for bravery.

b : to name in a citation cited by the trustees for his work in public health

4 : to bring forward or call to another's attention especially as an example, proof, or precedent cited the weather as a reason for canceling the picnic cited several studies that support his theory

Other Words from cite Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Cite, Sight, and Site More Example Sentences Learn More about cite

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Choose the Right Synonym for cite

summon, call, cite, convoke, convene, muster mean to demand the presence of. summon implies the exercise of authority. was summoned to answer charges call may be used less formally for summon. called the legislature into special session cite implies a summoning to court usually to answer a charge. cited for drunken driving convoke implies a summons to assemble for deliberative or legislative purposes. convoked a Vatican council convene is somewhat less formal than convoke. convened the students muster suggests a calling up of a number of things that form a group in order that they may be exhibited, displayed, or utilized as a whole. mustered the troops

Cite, Sight, and Site

The three homophones cite, sight, and site are occasionally confused by some people when used as nouns (sight and site) or as verbs (all three words). They needn’t cause trouble: with a little thought, most people who struggle with them can settle upon the correct choice.

Cite is most often encountered in the sense of “to name in a citation”; it may also mean “to mention as an example” or “to order to appear in a court of law.“

Most of the senses of sight are concerned with the act or action of seeing. A wonderful spectacle might be described as a sight, as might the general capacity to see anything (“my sight is not as good as it once was”).

Site is most often concerned with location; it is related to the verb situate "to locate" and situation "a position." A building site is the place where the building is, or will be, located. In contemporary English, site has increasingly been used as a shortened form of website, for the location of a specific page on the Internet.

If you connect citation with cite, eyesight with sight, and situate with site, you are unlikely to make an error.

Examples of cite in a Sentence

The article cites several experts on the subject. The museum had often been cited as an example of successful fund-raising. He cited evidence suggesting she was in the area when the crime was committed. She was cited for reckless driving.

Recent Examples on the Web Police cite the rise in shootings and said the number of homicides from guns increased each of the past three years. — Washington Post, "Homicides in D.C. hit 15-year high; shootings also have spiked," 1 Jan. 2021 Others cite a baby girl born to Bell's second wife and fathered by Basham. — John Maccormack, ExpressNews.com, "Smiley shooting motives abound - 80-year-old faces trial in death of man, 75, with whom he had feud.," 9 Dec. 2020 The authors cite prior studies showing that language AI can consume vast amounts of electricity, and echo unsavory biases found in online text. — Tom Simonite, Wired, "Behind the Paper That Led to a Google Researcher's Firing," 8 Dec. 2020 Artists like J Balvin and Luis Fonsi cite her music, and so do Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves. — New York Times, "‘Selena: The Series,’ Dreaming of Her," 4 Dec. 2020 Airlines cite several reasons for their optimism, while acknowledging the situation is fluid, and trends could shift anytime. — Dawn Gilbertson, USA TODAY, "'Pandemic fatigue': Pent-up demand is driving holiday flight bookings despite COVID-19 spikes," 2 Nov. 2020 In their opinions, justices frequently cite and borrow language from amicus briefs. — Paul M. Collins, The Conversation, "How conservative groups will advance their agendas before a Supreme Court with Amy Coney Barrett," 19 Oct. 2020 And health policy experts and press reports cite numbers close to what Biden listed. — Politifact Staff, Detroit Free Press, "Fact-checking Joe Biden at the 2020 Democratic National Convention," 21 Aug. 2020 The guidelines didn’t cite Huawei by name, but implementing them would effectively ban the company from the countries. — William Boston And Stu Woo, WSJ, "Huawei Gets Conditional Green Light in Germany as Government Approves Security Bill," 16 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

7 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Cite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cite. Accessed 16 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for cite

cite

verb

English Language Learners Definition of cite

: to write or say the words of (a book, author, etc.)

: to mention (something) especially as an example or to support an idea or opinion

law : to order (someone) to appear before a court of law

See the full definition for cite in the English Language Learners Dictionary

cite

verb

\ ˈsīt

cited; citing

Kids Definition of cite

1 : to order to appear in court She was cited for reckless driving.

2 : to quote as an example, authority, or proof He cites several experts in his report.

3 : to refer to especially in praise The school was cited as a model for others.

cite

transitive verb

\ ˈsīt

cited; citing

Legal Definition of cite

1 : to demand the appearance of in court : serve with a citation had been cited for contempt you are hereby cited to show cause in the Probate Court

2 : to quote or refer to as a precedent or authority the plaintiff cites several cases for the proposition

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