noun
citizen
SIH-tih-zuhn
noun
1
A legally recognised member of a country, with rights such as voting and a passport, and duties such as paying taxes.
"She became a French citizen after living there for ten years."
2
A resident of a particular city or town.
"The mayor addressed the citizens of the town at the meeting."
3
An ordinary member of the public, as distinct from officials or authorities.
"The app lets private citizens report potholes directly to the council."
How to Use Citizen
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA legal member of a country or resident of a city, or simply an ordinary member of the public.
Common pairings
law-abiding citizen
senior citizen
private citizen
Word Forms
citizens plural, Citizens plural
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Etymology
From Anglo-Norman citesain, from Old French cite ("city") plus a suffix meaning "one who belongs to" — ultimately from Latin civitas.