citation
gb/saɪtˈeɪʃən/ us/saɪtˈeɪʃən/
B2
Anglais
~ 6300
Sens
0 sens
Nom
technical
B2
entity
1
reference to the source of information
A line or note in writing that shows where information or words came from, such as a book, article, or website.
Schéma d’usage :
include a citation to [source]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners often confuse 'citation' with 'quote' or 'quotation'. A 'quote' is the exact words you repeat; a 'citation' is the information that shows where those words or ideas came from. Some also mix up the spelling with 'site' or 'sight'.
Synonymes
reference (More general; can mean any mention of a source, not just a formal, formatted note in academic writing.)
Antonymes
plagiarism (Describes using someone’s work without giving a citation or credit, the opposite of correctly referencing a source.)
Collocations
in-text citation
|proper citation
|citation style
|bibliographic citation
|add a citation
|full citation
Thèmes
education
|writing
|research
|communication
Exemples
- Every fact in your paper must have a proper citation.
- The journal rejected the article because several citations were missing.
- Please follow APA style for all in-text citations and your reference list.
- Her thesis includes detailed citations for all statistics and quotations.
- The editor asked him to check every citation in the bibliography.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The teacher said we must add a citation for each quote.
- I used a website, but I forgot to write the citation.
- This book shows examples of APA citations.
- He checked that all the citations in his essay were correct.
Nom
B2
entity
2
official notice of a legal violation
A paper from the police or an authority that says you broke a law, usually a driving or parking rule, and may have to pay money or go to court.
Schéma d’usage :
receive a citation for [offense]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes think 'citation' only means an academic reference and are confused when they see it used for traffic or legal problems. In everyday American English, 'ticket' is more common in speech, while 'citation' often appears on the official paper.
Synonymes
ticket (Common in everyday speech for minor legal violations, especially parking or speeding; slightly less formal than 'citation'.)
Antonymes
warning (A notice that you did something wrong without formal punishment, the opposite of receiving an official citation.)
Collocations
traffic citation
|parking citation
|issue a citation
|receive a citation
|pay a citation
|contest a citation
Thèmes
law
|transport
|daily life
|transportation
Exemples
- The officer issued me a citation for speeding in a school zone.
- She received a parking citation for leaving her car in a no‑parking area.
- Drivers who ignore multiple citations may have their licenses suspended.
- He went to court to contest the citation he got last month.
- The company was given a safety citation after the workplace inspection.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I got a citation for driving too fast.
- He must pay the parking citation this week.
- The police officer gave her a citation for using her phone while driving.
- You can go to court if you think the citation is not fair.
Nom
formal
C1
entity
3
formal written praise or commendation
A formal paper that says someone did something very good and is often given with a medal or special prize.
Schéma d’usage :
receive a citation for [achievement]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may not know this formal sense and may think 'citation' here means a traffic ticket. In award contexts, a 'citation' is positive praise, not a punishment.
Synonymes
commendation (Almost the same in formal contexts, especially in the military or government; focuses on official praise rather than the written document itself.)
Antonymes
reprimand (An official expression of disapproval or criticism, the opposite of formal praise in a citation.)
Collocations
citation for bravery
|citation for excellence
|presidential citation
|military citation
|award a citation
|read the citation
Thèmes
work
|military
|public_life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The firefighter received a citation for bravery after rescuing three children from the burning house.
- Her citation for outstanding service was read aloud at the ceremony.
- Several soldiers were awarded citations for their actions during the mission.
- The university presented him with a special citation for his contributions to medical research.
- The medal came with a citation describing her long record of public service.
Exemples pédagogiques
- He got a citation for bravery from the city.
- The mayor read the citation before giving her the medal.
- She keeps her citation for excellent work on the wall.
- The army gave several soldiers citations for their actions.
Nom
formal
B2
entity
4
a passage quoted from a source
A short part of writing or speech that someone repeats using the exact same words as in the original.
Schéma d’usage :
a citation from [author or work]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners often do not realize that 'citation' can also mean a quoted passage and use only 'quote' or 'quotation'. In everyday speech, 'quote' is much more common; 'citation' for a passage is mainly in formal or literary writing.
Synonymes
quotation (The most common general word for repeated exact words; 'citation' in this sense is more formal or scholarly.)
Antonymes
paraphrase (A restatement of the idea in different words, the opposite of repeating the exact words in a citation.)
Collocations
a citation from Shakespeare
|biblical citation
|classical citation
|apt citation
|supporting citation
Thèmes
literature
|writing
|education
|communication
Exemples
- He opened his lecture with a brief citation from Martin Luther King Jr.
- The article begins with a biblical citation that sets the tone for the discussion.
- Her essay is rich with classical citations that illustrate her argument.
- The critic included several citations from the novel to support his view.
- An apt citation from Shakespeare closed the speech on a powerful note.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The teacher gave a short citation from the book.
- She started her talk with a citation from a famous speech.
- The writer uses many citations from old poems.
- We read a citation from the Bible in class.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
citation
API
GB/saɪtˈeɪʃən/
US/saɪtˈeɪʃən/
Syllabes et accentuation
cita - tion (2 syllabes)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tion)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: citation
- Plural: citation, citations
Famille de mots
Expressions
citation needed
1/saɪtˈeɪʃən nˈidɪd/
fixed phrase
informal
requesting a source for a statement
Used to say that a fact or claim needs a source to show that it is true.
Exemples
- You say this treatment works for everyone, but citation needed.
- Whenever someone makes a wild claim in the forum, people reply with 'citation needed'.
- That statistic looks impressive, but citation needed before we can trust it.