Word

citizenship

noun C1

/ˈsɪtɪzənʃɪp/

Meanings

noun

the legal status of being a member of a country, with rights and responsibilities

noun

the qualities of behaving responsibly and constructively in a community or society

Definition

Citizenship is the legal status of belonging to a country, with related rights and responsibilities.

Citizenship is an official relationship between a person and a country. It usually gives you certain rights, such as voting and access to a passport, and it also involves responsibilities, such as obeying the law. People can gain citizenship by birth, by descent from parents, or by completing a legal process in a new country.

Examples

After years of living abroad, I finally applied for citizenship through the standard naturalization process.
You can keep your citizenship while living overseas, but you still need to follow certain obligations.
He spoke about citizenship as more than a passport, arguing that it also involves active participation in civic life.
In her essay, she compared dual citizenship to having two cultural homes, each with its own expectations.
They celebrated their citizenship ceremony quietly with family, relieved that the paperwork was complete.

Common mistake

Learners often confuse citizenship with residency, but residency is permission to live in a place while citizenship is formal membership of a country.