citizen, subject, national mean a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a sovereign state.
citizen is preferred for one owing allegiance to a state in which sovereign power is retained by the people and sharing in the political rights of those people.
the rights of a free citizen
subject implies allegiance to a personal sovereign such as a monarch.
the king's subjects
national designates one who may claim the protection of a state and applies especially to one living or traveling outside that state.
American nationals working in the Middle East
Example Sentences
She was a United States citizen but lived most of her life abroad. a group of Japanese citizens
Recent Examples on the WebThe charges were brought by his ex-wife, Svetlana, a Russian citizen. William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, 16 Sep. 2022 Elizabeth Whelan will meet the president at the White House along with Cherelle Griner, the wife of WNBA star Brittney Griner, another U.S. citizen the Biden administration has declared wrongfully detained in Russia. Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 16 Sep. 2022 While the average citizen’s survival instinct may kick in, the city’s self-defense rules could impact them down the line.Fox News, 14 Sep. 2022 South Korean authorities confirmed last month that the woman, a dual citizen of New Zealand and South Korea, had arrived in the country in 2018. Gawon Bae, CNN, 14 Sep. 2022 Who wants to be treated like a second-class citizen in their own country? Marissa Charles, Peoplemag, 13 Sep. 2022 Soon after Uniting for Ukraine was launched, Agaieva's sister Yuliya Wold, a U.S. citizen and police sergeant in Everett, Washington, applied to sponsor them. Camilo Montoya-galvez, CBS News, 13 Sep. 2022 The citizen voting-age population includes all people 18 and older who are native or naturalized citizens, and the number is frequently used as a base figure in turnout calculations. Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 12 Sep. 2022 Only members can attend services, and no Israeli citizen or resident can be baptized.The Salt Lake Tribune, 11 Sep. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English citizein, from Anglo-French citezein, alteration of citeien, from cité city