Definition

1. Noun:
   • The form of a word that heads a lexical entry and is alphabetized in a dictionary: This is the standard, base form of a word used to represent it in reference works like dictionaries, glossaries, and lexicons. It is the form under which you would look up the word.

Usage

• The citation form is the word's most basic, uninflected form. For verbs, this is typically the infinitive or bare infinitive (e.g., "run," "be"). For nouns, it is the singular form (e.g., "child," "mouse"). For adjectives, it is the base form (e.g., "good," "big").
• This form is chosen for dictionary entries because it provides a consistent and predictable place to find all information about a word and its variations.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The citation form for the verb "running" is "run."
  • In this dictionary, the citation form for irregular plurals like "geese" is the singular "goose."
  • Lexicographers must decide on a single citation form for each word.

Advanced Usage

• In Lexicography and Linguistics: The concept of a citation form is fundamental. It is the lemma or headword that serves as the anchor point for all grammatical and semantic information about that lexical unit.
  • When compiling the corpus, each word token was tagged and linked back to its citation form.

Variants and Related Words

• Lemma (n): In linguistics, a term often used synonymously with "citation form" to mean the canonical form or dictionary form of a set of words.
• Headword (n): The word which begins a separate entry in a reference work; essentially the same as the citation form in a dictionary context.
• Base Form (n): Another common term for the simplest, uninflected form of a word.

Synonyms

• Dictionary form
• Canonical form
• Entry word

Notes

• The citation form is a meta-linguistic concept. It is not necessarily the most frequently used form in everyday speech, but rather the form agreed upon for the purpose of organization and study. For example, while "am," "is," and "are" are common, the citation form for this verb is "be."

Noun

1. the form of a word that heads a lexical entry and is alphabetized in a dictionary