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Meaning & use

citizen

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈsɪt.ɪ.zən/
US/ˈsɪt̬.ə.zən/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A person who legally belongs to a particular country and has the rights and duties that come with it.

    Grammar: Often followed by 'of': a citizen of France. Can also be used before another noun: citizen rights.

    Patterns

    • a citizen of a country
    • become a citizen
    • a US citizen
    • citizen rights

    She became a British citizen after living in London for ten years.

    As a citizen of Canada, he has the right to vote in federal elections.

    The government encourages citizens to report suspicious activities.

  2. nouncountable

    A person who lives in a particular town or city.

    Grammar: Often used in the plural to refer to the people of a place: the citizens of Rome.

    Patterns

    • the citizens of a city
    • a local citizen
    • senior citizens

    The mayor addressed the citizens of the town.

    Local citizens are protesting against the new highway.

    The library offers free classes for senior citizens.

Word forms

pluralcitizens

Common combinations

a citizen of
He is a citizen of Australia.
become a citizen
After five years, she became a citizen.
senior citizen
The discount is available to senior citizens.
citizen rights
The new law protects citizen rights.
fellow citizen
He urged his fellow citizens to vote.

Synonyms and how they differ

national
National is a more formal word for someone who belongs to a country by birth or naturalization; citizen is more common and also implies rights and duties.
resident
Resident only means someone who lives in a place; it does not imply legal membership or rights. Citizen is stronger and legal.
inhabitant
Inhabitant is a formal word for a person or animal that lives in a place; citizen is used for people and often implies legal status.

Opposites

foreigneralien

Word family

citizenship noun
The legal status of being a citizen.
citizenry noun
All the citizens of a place, considered as a group.

Commonly confused: citizen or resident?

citizen vs resident

A resident lives in a place but may not have legal citizenship. A citizen has full legal rights in a country.

Practice

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