Which of the following describes a persons status as a citizen of a particular country?

cit·​i·​zen | \ ˈsi-tə-zən

Definition of citizen

1a : a native or naturalized person who owes allegiance to a government and is entitled to protection from it She was an American citizen but lived most of her life abroad.

2 : an inhabitant of a city or town especially : one entitled to the rights and privileges of a freeman

3 : a civilian as distinguished from a specialized servant of the state Soldiers were sent to protect the citizens.

Other Words from citizen

citizenly \ ˈsi-​tə-​zən-​lē also  -​sən-​ \ adjective

Choose the Right Synonym for citizen

citizen, subject, national mean a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a sovereign state. citizen is preferred for one owing allegiance to a state in which sovereign power is retained by the people and sharing in the political rights of those people. the rights of a free citizen subject implies allegiance to a personal sovereign such as a monarch. the king's subjects national designates one who may claim the protection of a state and applies especially to one living or traveling outside that state. American nationals working in the Middle East

Examples of citizen in a Sentence

She was a United States citizen but lived most of her life abroad. a group of Japanese citizens

Recent Examples on the Web But this is meaningless unless a company has a uniform presence in every part of the country and has products or services that target every citizen. — Paolo Gaudiano, Forbes, 5 Oct. 2022 Every American citizen who cares about our legal system should pay close attention — but not for the reasons Stern wants. — Dan Mclaughlin, National Review, 4 Oct. 2022 The fair also helped formerly incarcerated people feel like a person instead of a second-class citizen, said Tiffany Arndt, a mother who was incarcerated for a month. — Tony Roberts, Baltimore Sun, 30 Sep. 2022 The team's statement comes as the country continues to see civil unrest in response to the death of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old citizen who died under police custody. — Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 29 Sep. 2022 The citizen reported that a former acquaintance arrived in the Chicago area from Virginia by bus on Monday. — Graydon Megan, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2022 Public approval of the Supreme Court is in serious decline, and a study published this summer in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that, since 2020, the high court has moved far to the right of the average citizen. — Ian Macdougall, Harper’s Magazine , 28 Sep. 2022 His argument against class inequality is above all a case for the equal dignity of every citizen. — E.j. Dionne Jr., Washington Post, 23 Sep. 2022 Big, multi-trillion-dollar banks that actually look at commercial property, look at what types of appraisals are submitted by would-be loan applicants, not the average citizen up in upstate New York or in the rural or suburban or even urban areas. — Fox News Staff, Fox News, 22 Sep. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'citizen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of citizen

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

History and Etymology for citizen

Middle English citizein, from Anglo-French citezein, alteration of citeien, from cité city

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Cite this Entry

“Citizen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/citizen. Accessed 24 Oct. 2022.

More Definitions for citizen

cit·​i·​zen | \ ˈsit-ə-zən \

Kids Definition of citizen

1 : a person who lives in a city or town

2a : a member of a state

Legal Definition of citizen

1 : a native or naturalized individual who owes allegiance to a government (as of a state or nation) and is entitled to the enjoyment of governmental protection and to the exercise of civil rights — see also Scott v. Sandford — compare resident

Note: Under the Fourteenth Amendment, “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.” A person born outside of the U.S. to parents who were born or naturalized in the U.S. is also a citizen of the U.S. A corporation is not considered a citizen for purposes of the privileges and immunities clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. A corporation is, however, deemed a citizen of the state in which it is incorporated or has its principal place of business for purposes of diversity jurisdiction.

2 : a resident of a town or state who is also a U.S. native or was naturalized in the U.S.

History and Etymology for citizen

Anglo-French citezein, alteration of Old French citeien, from cité city

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