citizen

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A legally recognized member of a country, with the rights and duties that come with it.

   As a citizen of France, she can vote in national elections.

2. 2
   noun

   A person who lives in a particular city or town.

   The citizens of the town gathered to protest the new tax.

3. 3
   noun

   An ordinary member of the public, as distinct from officials or rulers.

   Every citizen has the right to a fair trial.

From Middle English citeseyn, citezein, borrowed from Anglo-Norman citesain (“burgher; city-dweller”), citezein, etc., probably a variant of cithein under influence of deinzein (“denizen”), from Anglo-Norman and Old French citeain, etc. and citaien, citeien, etc. ("burgher"; modern French citoyen), from cité ("settlement; cathedral city, city"; modern French cité) + -ain or -ien (“-an, -ian”). See city and hewe. Displaced native Old English burgwaras (plural form).

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