Definition

1. Noun:
   • A quotation from or reference to a book, paper, or author, especially in scholarly work: A "citation" is a source of information cited to support a statement or give credit to an original author.
   • An official summons, especially to appear in court: In legal contexts, a "citation" is a written order commanding a person to appear before a court or other authority.
   • A formal public commendation or award for bravery or meritorious service: A "citation" can be an official statement praising someone's achievements, often in military or civic contexts.
   • The act of citing or quoting something: "Citation" refers to the process of mentioning or referring to something as evidence or justification.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Quoted Source):
  • Every citation in your research paper must be properly formatted.
  • The author included a citation from Shakespeare's sonnets.
• Noun (Legal Summons):
  • He received a citation for speeding and must appear in traffic court.
  • The court issued a citation to the witness.
• Noun (Award/Commendation):
  • The firefighter received a citation for her heroic actions.
  • The soldier was honored with a presidential citation.
• Noun (Act of Citing):
  • The citation of outdated statistics weakened the argument.

Advanced Usage

• "In-text citation": A brief reference within the body of a text that points to a full source listed elsewhere.
  • Use an in-text citation whenever you paraphrase an idea from another work.
• "Citation style": A standardized system for formatting citations (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).
  • Please format your bibliography according to the APA citation style.

Variants and Related Words

• Cite (verb): To quote or refer to as an example or authority.
  • You must cite your sources to avoid plagiarism.
• Citable (adjective): Worthy of being cited or referenced.
  • The study produced citable results for future research.

Synonyms

• Quotation: A group of words taken from a text or speech.
• Reference: The action of mentioning or alluding to something.
• Summons: An order to appear before a judge or magistrate.
• Commendation: Formal or official praise.

Related Phrases

• Citation needed: A tag used in editing to indicate that a statement requires a supporting reference.
  • The claim that this is the oldest building in the city is marked "citation needed".
• To issue a citation: The act of formally giving someone a legal summons or a written commendation.
  • The police officer decided to issue a citation rather than make an arrest.

Related Idioms

• A living citation: (Informal) A person who is frequently cited as an authority or example in a particular field.
  • In the world of physics, he is a living citation for groundbreaking theories.

Noun

1. thoroughbred that won the triple crown in 1948
2. a summons that commands the appearance of a party at a proceeding
3. a passage or expression that is quoted or cited
4. a short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage
   • the student's essay failed to list several important citations
   • the acknowledgments are usually printed at the front of a book
   • the article includes mention of similar clinical cases
5. (law) the act of citing (as of spoken words or written passages or legal precedents etc.)
6. an official award (as for bravery or service) usually given as formal public statement