Dictionary

citizen

see also: Citizen

Etymology

From Middle English citeseyn, citezein, borrowed from Anglo-Norman citesain, citezein etc.

Pronunciation

(British) IPA: /ˈsɪtɪzən/
(America) IPA: /ˈsɪtɪzən/, /ˈsɪtɪsən/

Noun

citizen (plural citizens)

A resident of a city or town, especially one with legally-recognized rights or duties. [from 14th c.]
Synonyms: burgess, burgher, cityite, freeman
Hyponyms: citess, (female) citizeness
- 1862 July – 1863 August, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], “What Florence was Thinking of”, in Romola. […], volume II, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], published 1863, →OCLC ↗, book II, page 180 ↗:
  [T]hat large body of the working men who were not counted as citizens and had not so much as a vote to serve as an anodyne to their stomachs were likely to get impatient.
A legally-recognized member of a state, with associated rights and obligations; a person considered in terms of this role. [from 14th c.]
I am a Roman citizen.
Synonyms: countryman, national
Antonyms: alien, illegal alien, foreigner, illegal
Hyponyms: first-class citizen, second-class citizen, third-class citizen, native, naturalized citizen, senior citizen, corporate citizen
An inhabitant or occupant: a member of any place. [from 14th c.]
Diogenes reckoned himself a citizen of the world.
Synonyms: denizen, local, inhabitant, native, occupant, resident
Antonyms: alien, outsider, stranger
(Christianity) A resident of the heavenly city or (later) of the kingdom of God: a Christian; a good Christian. [from 15th c.]
A civilian, as opposed to a police officer, soldier, or member of some other specialized (usually state) group. [from 16th c.]
(obsolete) An ordinary person, as opposed to nobles and landed gentry on one side and peasants, craftsmen, and laborers on the other. [17th–19th c.]
- 1782, Frances Burney, Cecilia, III.v.6:
  [W]ould Mr. Delvile, who hardly ever spoke but to the high-born, without seeming to think his dignity somewhat injured, deign to receive for a daughter in law the child of a citizen and tradesman?
(now, historical, usually capitalized) A term of address among French citizens during the French Revolution or towards its supporters elsewhere; (later) a term of address among socialists and communists. [from 18th c.]
- 1859, Charles Dickens, “In Secret”, in A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC ↗, book III (The Track of a Storm), page 166 ↗:
  Citizen, I desire nothing more than to get to Paris, though I could dispense with the escort.
Synonyms: comrade
(computing) An object.
Hyponyms: first-class citizen, second-class citizen, third-class citizen