citizen

Pronunciation: /ˈsɪtɪzən/

Reading level: medium

Estimated CEFR level: B1 — Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a native or naturalized member of a state or other political community

Etymology

From Middle English citeseyn, citezein, borrowed from Anglo-Norman citesain (“burgher; city-dweller”), citezein, etc., probably a variant of cithein under influence of deinzein (“denizen”), from Anglo-Norman and Old French citeain, etc. and citaien, citeien, etc. ("burgher"; modern French citoyen), from cité ("settlement; cathedral city, city"; modern French cité) + -ain or -ien (“-an, -ian”). See city and hewe. Displaced native Old English burgwaras (plural form).

In classic literature

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
national
Narrower (hyponyms)
active citizen, repatriate, voter, freeman, thane, private citizen
Opposite (antonyms)
foreigner

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