Citizen Definition

sĭtĭ-zən

citizens

noun

citizens

A native or inhabitant, esp. a freeman or burgess, of a town or city.

Webster's New World

A member of a state or nation, esp. one with a republican form of government, who owes allegiance to it by birth or naturalization and is entitled to full civil rights.

Webster's New World

A native, inhabitant, or denizen of any place.

Citizens of the deep.

Webster's New World

A civilian.

American Heritage

A civilian, as distinguished from a person in military service, from a policeman, etc.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Other Word Forms of Citizen

Noun

Singular:

citizen

Plural:

citizens

Origin of Citizen

Anglo-Norman, from Old French citezein (spelling altered by influence of denizen), from Old French citeien (Modern French citoyen), from cite (“settlement (regardless of size), later meaning cathedral town”) (Modern French cité, English city), from citet, from Latin civitas (“citizenship, community of citizens”), from civis (“townsman, citizen”) (English civil, civilian), from Proto-Indo-European *kei- (“to lie, homestead”).

From Wiktionary
Middle English citisein from Anglo-Norman citesein alteration (perhaps influenced by dainzain denizen) of Old French citeain from cite city city

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition