citizenship

noun

cit·​i·​zen·​ship ˈsi-tə-zən-ˌship How to pronounce citizenship (audio)
also -sən-
1
: the status of being a citizen
He was granted U.S. citizenship.
2
a
: membership in a community (such as a college)
b
: the quality of an individual's response to membership in a community
The students are learning the value of good citizenship.

Examples of citizenship in a Sentence

She applied for Polish citizenship. He was granted U.S. citizenship. The students are learning the value of good citizenship.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For those looking to go beyond obtaining residency, golden passports go further by granting citizenship. — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026 Battles over voter rolls, citizenship and federal authority There are secretary of state contests in 26 states this November. — Thom Reilly, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026 The spokesman added that wrongful detention is determined by a variety of factors, including having US citizenship or a connection to the US. — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Let’s focus on questioning the citizenship of people with Latino names. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for citizenship

Word History

Etymology

see citizen

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of citizenship was in 1611

Phrases Containing citizenship

Rhymes for citizenship

See All Rhymes for citizenship

Browse Nearby Words

citizens band
citizenship
Citlaltépetl
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Citizenship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/citizenship. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

citizenship

noun
cit·​i·​zen·​ship ˈsit-ə-zən-ship How to pronounce citizenship (audio)
1
: possession of the rights and privileges of a citizen
2
: the quality of a person's response to membership in a community

Legal Definition

citizenship

noun
cit·​i·​zen·​ship
1
: the status of being a citizen
2
: the quality of an individual's behavior as a citizen
3
: domicile
—used especially in federal diversity cases see also diversity jurisdiction at jurisdiction

More from Merriam-Webster on citizenship

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about citizenship

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