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.
One of them is José Antonio Bañuelos-Díaz, 42, who applied for citizenship in October 2025 after living in the country for 40 years and spending his entire adult life as a legal permanent resident. — Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026 Nikolov said two of the suspects had Turkish citizenship, while the third held a Bulgarian ID card. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 Voting carries an almost existential significance for Indians whose equal citizenship has not been fully recognized by the institutions of the state. — Asim Ali, Time, 24 Oct. 2026 The proposition doesn’t say what data officials should use to verify citizenship. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 23 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 27 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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