# citation

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌsaɪˈteɪʃn̩/ · frequency rank #9,299

## Definitions
1. An official summons or notice given to a person to appear.
2. The paper containing such summons or notice.
3. The act of citing a passage from a text, or from another person, using the exact words of the original text or speech and giving credit to the original by referencing.
4. An entry in a list of sources from which information was taken, typically following a prescribed bibliographical style; a reference.
5. The passage or words quoted; a quotation.
6. A quotation with attached bibliographical details demonstrating the use of a particular lexical item in a dictionary, especially a dictionary on historical principles.
7. Enumeration; mention.
8. A reference to decided cases, or books of authority, to prove a point in law.
9. A commendation in recognition of some achievement, or a formal statement of an achievement.

## Etymology
From Middle English citacioun, from Old French citation, from Latin citātiō. By surface analysis, cite + -ation.

## Easily confused with
- **creation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/citation-vs-creation)
- **curation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/citation-vs-curation)
- **cation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cation-vs-citation)

## Common misspellings (12)
`ccitation`, `ciattion`, `citaiton`, `citasion`, `citatino`, `citationn`, `citatoin`, `citattion`, `cittaion`, `cittation`, `ctiation`, `ictation`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/citation