citizenship

noun

cit·​i·​zen·​ship ˈsi-tə-zən-ˌship 

also -sən-

1

: the status of being a citizen

He was granted U.S. citizenship.

2

a

: membership in a community (such as a college)

b

: the quality of an individual's response to membership in a community

The students are learning the value of good citizenship.

Examples of citizenship in a Sentence

She applied for Polish citizenship.

He was granted U.S. citizenship.

The students are learning the value of good citizenship.

Recent Examples on the Web

People in the Kansas City metro, and elsewhere in the country, have been arrested by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement regardless of their citizenship status. —Sofi Zeman april 25, Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2026

In a third case, Miami prosecutors stripped citizenship from a woman from Cuba over a 2019 healthcare fraud conviction. —Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026

Girod, her lawyer, said this would not on its own give her a pathway to citizenship but could allow her daughter to someday sponsor her. —Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 24 Apr. 2026

The constitutional principle behind that decision – that citizenship is a fundamental right which can’t be arbitrarily taken away by whoever happens to be in power – applies equally to how the government handles denaturalization cases today. —Cassandra Burke Robertson, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see citizen

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing citizenship

• birthright citizenship
• dual citizenship

Rhymes for citizenship

• apostleship
• apprenticeship
• assistantship
• championship
• chancellorship
• companionship
• copartnership
• dictatorship
• directorship
• discipleship
• editorship
• generalship

Kids Definition

citizenship

noun

cit·​i·​zen·​ship ˈsit-ə-zən-ship 

1

: possession of the rights and privileges of a citizen

2

: the quality of a person's response to membership in a community

Legal Definition

citizenship

noun

cit·​i·​zen·​ship

1

: the status of being a citizen

2

: the quality of an individual's behavior as a citizen

3

: domicile

—used especially in federal diversity cases see also diversity jurisdiction at jurisdiction