cite

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To name a book, article, or author as the source of information.

   You should cite all the authors of the works you reference.

2. 2
   verb

   To mention something as an example or reason.

   She cited rising costs as the reason for closing the shop.

3. 3
   verb

   To quote a passage from a book or another person's words.

   The lawyer cited an earlier court ruling to support her case.

4. 4
   verb

   To officially order someone to appear in court.

   Police cited several of the protesters for blocking the road.

5. 5
   noun

   A short note that credits the source of information or a quotation.

   The paper had hundreds of cites at the end.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Cite entered English in the late Middle English period from Latin citare. Its earliest English meaning was “summon someone to court”; the same Latin verb also forms part of recitare, the source of recite.

From Old French citer, from Latin citare (“to cause to move, excite, summon”), frequentative of ciēre (“to rouse, excite, call”). Sense 4 is the original one.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary