noun

1. Historical a native or inhabitant, esp. a freeman or burgess, of a town or city
2. a native, inhabitant, or denizen of any place citizens of the deep
3. a member of a state or nation, esp. one with a republican form of government, who owes allegiance to it by birth or naturalization and is entitled to full civil rights
4. a civilian, as distinguished from a person in military service, a policeman, etc.

Etymology: ME & Anglo-Fr citizein, altered (? infl. by denizen) < OFr citeain < cité: see city; citizensense infl. by use of Fr citoyen during the Fr Revolution