citizen

plural citizens · alternative obsolete cytesin

1. A resident of a city or town, especially one with legally recognized rights or duties.First known use 14th c.

   [T]hat large body of the working men who were not counted as citizens and had not so much as a vote to serve as an anodyne to their stomachs were likely to get impatient.

   1862 July – 1863 August, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], “What Florence was Thinking of”, in Romola. […], volume II, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], published 1863, →OCLC, book II, page 180

   Synonyms: burgess, burgher, cityite, freeman

2. A legally recognized member of a state, with associated rights and obligations; a person considered in terms of this role.First known use 14th c.

   I am a Roman citizen.

   3 more examples

   Assistant: You'll meet with the managing director and Dr Sinita Brahmachari, the engineer who designed the chair. Peter Mackenzie: Indian, is he? Assistant: She is a British citizen, Minister. Born in Coventry.

   1990, House of Cards, season 1, episode 4

   Libertarian paternalism is the view that, because the way options are presented to citizens affects what they choose, society should present options in a way that “nudges” our intuitive selves to make choices that are more consistent with what our more deliberative selves would have chosen if they were in control.

   2012 January 28, Steven Sloman, “The Battle Between Intuition and Deliberation”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 08 Jan 2012, page 74

   He is also a citizen of Antigua, because he purchased a home – where he now resides with his family.

   2019 October 7, Kate Springer, “Passports for purchase: Open citizenship doors around the world”, in CNN

   Synonyms: countryman, national · Antonyms: alien, illegal alien, foreigner, illegal

3. An inhabitant or occupant: a member of any place.First known use 14th c.

   Diogenes reckoned himself a citizen of the world.

   1 more example

   A jellyfish... carries poison cells that can sting other citizens of the sea.

   1979 October, Boys' Life, page 33

   Synonyms: denizen, local, inhabitant, native, occupant, resident · Antonyms: alien, outsider, stranger

4. ChristianityA resident of the heavenly city or (later) of the kingdom of God: a Christian; a good Christian.First known use 15th c.
5. A civilian, as opposed to a police officer, soldier, or member of some other specialized (usually state) group.First known use 16th c.
6. obsoleteAn ordinary person, as opposed to nobles and landed gentry on one side and peasants, craftsmen, and laborers on the other.First known use 17th–19th c.

   [W]ould Mr. Delvile, who hardly ever spoke but to the high-born, without seeming to think his dignity somewhat injured, deign to receive for a daughter in law the child of a citizen and tradesman?

   1782, Frances Burney, Cecilia, III.v.6

7. capitalizedhistoricalusuallyA term of address among supporters of the French Revolution in France or elsewhere; (later, dated) a term of address among socialists and communists.First known use 18th c.

   Citizen, I desire nothing more than to get to Paris, though I could dispense with the escort.

   1859, Charles Dickens, “In Secret”, in A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book III (The Track of a Storm), page 166

   Synonyms: comrade

8. figurativelycomputingA notional inhabitant of a software system; an object or a software application.

   The HIG delivers Apple's design commandments, the company's definition of what it means to be a good iPhone citizen.

   2010, Josh Clark, Tapworthy: Designing Great iPhone Apps, O'Reilly, →ISBN, page 99

plural Citizens

1. A personal Title denoting citizenship, implicitly of the nation in which it is spoken
2. A pupil of City of London School