Meanings
plural citations
- countableuncountableAn official summons or notice given to a person to appear.
In late September, over a three-day period, Placer County conducted 183 stops among riders, some involving groups, which led to 30 citations and 25 e-motorcycles being towed.
2025 October 9, Denzen Cortez, “Placer County enforces e-bike and e-motorcycle regulations to curb reckless riding”, in KCRA1 more example
No citation was issued upon this appeal returnable to the next term of this court, nor was the record filed and the cause docketed during that term. On the 29th of May, 1865, however, a citation was issued, returnable at this term, and service of this citation was acknowledged by the present district attorney; and the writ was returned and the record filed at this term, under an agreement between the district attorney and the attorney for the claimants, to submit the cause upon printed briefs.
1851, “United States Reports/Volume 70”, in Castro v. United States, United States Supreme CourtSynonyms: invocation, invocation, subpoena, summons, writ of summons
- countableuncountableThe paper containing such summons or notice.
- countableuncountableThe act of citing a passage from a text, or from another person, using the exact words of the original text or speech and giving credit to the original by referencing.
- countableuncountableAn entry in a list of sources from which information was taken, typically following a prescribed bibliographical style; a reference.
- countableuncountablehuman sciencesA quotation with attached bibliographical details demonstrating the use of a particular lexical item in a dictionary, especially a dictionary on historical principles.
Historically, target words were garnered through focused reading programs and citations were handwritten on slips of paper which were collated alphabetically and stored in drawers for ready access (much like old-fashioned library catalogues).
2018, James Lambert, “A multitude of ‘lishes’: The nomenclature of hybridity”, in English World-Wide, page 3 - countableuncountableEnumeration; mention.
It's a simple citation of facts.
Synonyms: listing, numbering, telling, counting, enumeration, numbering, numeration, telling
- countableuncountableA commendation in recognition of some achievement, or a formal statement of an achievement.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn official summons or notice given to a person to appear.
nounEnumeration; mention.
More synonyms by meaning
nounan official award (as for bravery or service) usually given as formal public statement
nouna short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage
nouna passage or expression that is quoted or cited
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latincitātiō
- Old Frenchcitation
- Middle Englishcitacioun
- Englishcitation
From Middle English citacioun, from Old French citation, from Latin citātiō. By surface analysis, cite + -ation.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic شَاهِد
- شَاهِد (šāhid)(lexicography) a quotation with attached bibliographical details
Bulgarian призовка, цити́ране
- призовка (prizovka)an official summons
- цити́ране (citírane)the act of citing a passage from a book
- изброяване (izbrojavane)enumeration
- позоваване (pozovavane)a reference to decided cases, or books of authority
Catalan cita, citació
- citathe act of citing a passage from a book
- citacióthe act of citing a passage from a book
- citaa reference to decided cases, or books of authority
Danish citation, citering
- citationthe act of citing a passage from a book
- citeringthe act of citing a passage from a book
Dutch dagvaarding, citaat
- dagvaardingan official summons
- citaatthe act of citing a passage from a book
- aanhalingthe act of citing a passage from a book
- vermeldingenumeration
- bronvermeldinga reference to decided cases, or books of authority
- citatiea commendation in recognition of some achievement, or a formal statement of an achievement
Finnish viite
- viitea reference to decided cases, or books of authority
German Vorladung, Zitieren
- Vorladungan official summons
- Zitierenthe act of citing a passage from a book
- Aufzählungenumeration
- Begründunga commendation in recognition of some achievement, or a formal statement of an achievement
- ehrenvolle Erwähnunga commendation in recognition of some achievement, or a formal statement of an achievement
Greek κλήτευση, κλήση
- κλήτευση (klítefsi)an official summons
- κλήση (klísi)an official summons
- παράθεση (paráthesi)the act of citing a passage from a book
- παραπομπή (parapompí)the act of citing a passage from a book
- μνεία (mneía)the act of citing a passage from a book
- απαρίθμηση (aparíthmisi)enumeration
- κατάλογος (katálogos)enumeration
- αναφορά (anaforá)a reference to decided cases, or books of authority
- παραπομπή (parapompí)a reference to decided cases, or books of authority
- εύφημος μνεία (éffimos mneía)a commendation in recognition of some achievement, or a formal statement of an achievement
Hebrew ציטוט
- ציטוט (tzitut)the act of citing a passage from a book
Hungarian idézés, beidézés
- idézésan official summons
- beidézésan official summons
- idézésthe act of citing a passage from a book
- hivatkozása reference to decided cases, or books of authority
- dicséreta commendation in recognition of some achievement, or a formal statement of an achievement
Māori kupu hautoa
- kupu hautoaa commendation in recognition of some achievement, or a formal statement of an achievement
Portuguese citação
- citaçãothe act of citing a passage from a book
Romanian citare, citat
- citarethe act of citing a passage from a book
- citatthe act of citing a passage from a book
Russian вы́зов, пове́стка
- вы́зов (výzov)an official summons
- пове́стка (povéstka)an official summons
- цити́рование (citírovanije)the act of citing a passage from a book
- перечисле́ние (perečislénije)enumeration
- ссы́лка (ssýlka)a reference to decided cases, or books of authority
- упомина́ние (upominánije)a reference to decided cases, or books of authority
- объявле́ние благода́рности (obʺjavlénije blagodárnosti)a commendation in recognition of some achievement, or a formal statement of an achievement
Spanish citatorio, citatoria
- citatorioan official summons
- citatoriaan official summons
- citaciónan official summons
- requisitoriaan official summons
- citathe act of citing a passage from a book
- citaciónthe act of citing a passage from a book
Tamil மேற்கோள்
- மேற்கோள் (mēṟkōḷ)the act of citing a passage from a book
Turkish alıntı yapma, alıntılama
- alıntı yapmathe act of citing a passage from a book
- alıntılamathe act of citing a passage from a book
- iktibas etmethe act of citing a passage from a book
- tadatenumeration
- zikirenumeration
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with citation
Cite this entry
citation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/citation
“citation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/citation. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “citation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/citation.
Source: citation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.