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Definition of citizen in English:

citizen

Pronunciation /ˈsidizən/ /ˈsɪdɪzən/ /ˈsidisən/ /ˈsɪdɪsən/

See synonyms for citizen

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noun

  • 1A legally recognized subject or national of a state or commonwealth, either native or naturalized.

    ‘a Polish citizen’
    • ‘the rights of every citizen’
    • ‘Every citizen of the nation enjoys the cultural legacy afforded by song.’
    • ‘It is a display of loyalty and passion of a nation's citizens in its uniting icon: the flag.’
    • ‘One of the key points is that we have to respond as citizens rather than consumers.’
    • ‘The vast majority of people have been and continue to be not citizens, but subjects.’
    • ‘The government has the responsibility of protecting the lives of its citizens.’
    • ‘Most people would rather be active independent citizens than recipients of benefits.’
    • ‘We have to work in partnership with our security services to protect our fellow British citizens.’
    • ‘There is a sense of outrage among law abiding, taxpaying citizens of this country.’
    • ‘"Our women are bona fide citizens who are also protected by the state constitution.’
    • ‘Many of our most educated citizens don't have a clue what is happening in their own country.’
    • ‘How should concerned citizens of the world think about these terrible events?’
    • ‘The inaction of the police in this case has irked many concerned citizens of the State.’
    • ‘Speaking on the occasion, he urged the future citizens of the nation to " dream big".’
    • ‘Some states and municipalities have allowed foreign citizens living in the United States to vote.’
    • ‘The applicants are citizens of the Czech Republic.’
    • ‘For instance, suppose two people who are citizens of different states sue each other in state court.’
    • ‘The first purpose, citizen participation in governance, falls into the sovereign realms.’
    • ‘And, sadly, the citizens of this nation do not believe in him.’
    • ‘There is no way for a citizen of a republic to abdicate his responsibilities.’
    • ‘A citizen's constitutional right must be responded to by the state in full.’
    subject, national, passport holder, native
    View synonyms
    1. 1.1An inhabitant of a particular town or city.
      ‘the citizens of Los Angeles’
      • ‘The management would like to point out that not all citizens of the fair city of Liverpool look like this.’
      • ‘What is the point of overriding a planning department in the council, and the citizens of the city?’
      • ‘A city was represented in other cities by one or more citizens of those cities.’
      • ‘What is clear is that the burden of the crisis will fall on the ordinary citizens of the city.’
      • ‘Evenings were the only time the city felt like it belonged to the citizens of York.’
      • ‘We invite the citizens of Harburg, and visitors to the town, to add their names here to ours.’
      • ‘That may not quite cut the mustard when he faces the citizens of Liverpool.’
      • ‘A building of this high quality should be restored and given back to the citizens of Manchester.’
      • ‘We had a lot of support from the citizens of York as well when we were out on the streets of the city fund-raising.’
      • ‘I'm not sure what this says about the good citizens of Biggleswade, but it made me laugh.’
      • ‘The Council will give in and the loser, as always, will be the citizens of Bradford.’
      • ‘Obviously, the big mob of kids was rather too prominent for the citizens of Lincoln.’
      • ‘Such a contract could be putting a millstone round the neck of the citizens of this borough.’
      • ‘The citizens of Coventry might have a thing or two to say on that particular subject.’
      • ‘He called on the citizens of his two dioceses to declare their support for Mary.’
      • ‘Clearly there are things which cities and citizens can do to make such places safer.’
      • ‘Any major business could be voted on by the whole town at a town meeting which all citizens could attend.’
      • ‘The organisers hope to attract citizens to parts of the city they have never visited before.’
      • ‘Perhaps someone should warn the citizens of that city?’
      • ‘Plus, he'll be a model citizen in the community.’
      inhabitant, resident, native, townsman, townswoman, householder, local
      View synonyms

Phrases

    citizen of the world

    • A person who is at home in any country.

      ‘he has long since ceased to be a provincial and is now very much a citizen of the world’
      • ‘But Greenland educators are discovering that if Greenlandic students are to become citizens of the world - to use the Internet and pursue higher education - they must be able to communicate in it.’
      • ‘It was the domination of western style thinking and the growing preoccupation of the new regimes with Fabian style thinking that came in the way of citizens of the world, facing a new historical reality, together realising a better world.’
      • ‘The world is our country, we are citizens of the world and creatures of the universe.’
      • ‘As many liberals say, ‘It's time for us to be citizens of the world.’’
      • ‘Aren't reporters without borders citizens of the world?’
      • ‘We believe in being respected and respectful citizens of the world.’
      • ‘They regarded themselves as citizens of the world.’
      • ‘Some young Asians even consider themselves citizens of the world.’
      • ‘We must all learn how to be citizens of the world, as comfortable in a mosque in Cairo as we are in a cathedral in Manila or a Jewish temple in New York City.’
      • ‘And selfless sons and daughters grow up to become selfless citizens of the world.’

Origin

Middle English from Anglo-Norman French citezein, alteration (probably influenced by deinzein ‘denizen’) of Old French citeain, based on Latin civitas ‘city’ (see city).