citizen
gb/sˈɪtɪzən/ us/sˈɪtɪzən/
A2
English
~ 2000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Legal member of a nation
A person who belongs to a country and has the rights and duties of that country.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a citizen of [country]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'citizen' with 'resident'. A resident lives in a place, but may not have legal membership or rights as a citizen.
Synonyms
national (More formal; often used in legal or official contexts to mean someone who is legally part of a nation)
Antonyms
foreigner (Someone from another country who is not legally a member of the country in question)
Collocations
citizen rights
|citizen responsibilities
|citizen of
|naturalized citizen
|citizen status
Themes
law
|society
|government
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She became a citizen of Canada last year.
- Every citizen has the right to vote in free elections.
- The government protects its citizens both at home and abroad.
- Citizens are required to pay taxes according to the law.
Learner examples
- I am a citizen of Japan.
- The citizens choose the president.
- He is now a citizen of Australia.
- Many citizens went to the park.
Noun
B1
entity
2
Resident of a town or city
A person who lives in a town or city.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a citizen of [city/town]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'citizen' instead of 'resident' when talking about people in smaller communities or neighborhoods.
Synonyms
resident (Refers to someone living in a place, without implying legal rights or national membership)
Antonyms
visitor (Someone temporarily in a place but not living there)
Collocations
local citizen
|citizens of the city
|concerned citizens
Themes
society
|daily life
|daily_life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The citizens of Paris are proud of their cultural heritage.
- Concerned citizens attended the town hall meeting.
- As a citizen of New York, she knows the subway system well.
Learner examples
- I am a citizen of this city.
- The citizens met in the square.
- Citizens like the new park in town.
Grammar
Dictionary form
citizen
IPA
GB/sˈɪtɪzən/
US/sˈɪtɪzən/
Syllables & stress
cit - izen (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (cit)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: citizen
- Plural: citizens
Word family
Forms
citizens
noun
Core family
citizenship
noun B2
Related words
civic
adjective B2
Negative and opposite forms
noncitizen
noun
Advanced or less common
citizenry
noun
Expressions
fellow citizen
1/fˈɛloʊ sˈɪtɪzən/
fixed phrase
Person from same country/community
A person from the same country or community as you.
Examples
- We must treat every fellow citizen with respect.
- She addressed her fellow citizens during the speech.
model citizen
1/mˈɑdəl sˈɪtɪzən/
fixed phrase
Person with exemplary behavior
A person who behaves very well and follows all the rules of society.
Examples
- He is considered a model citizen for his volunteer work.
- The award was given to her for being a model citizen.
second-class citizen
1/sˈɛkənd klˈæs sˈɪtɪzən/
fixed phrase
Person with fewer rights or respect
A person who is not treated equally and has fewer rights than others in society.
Examples
- Many immigrants feel like second-class citizens despite their contributions.
- She refused to be treated as a second-class citizen.