# cite

> English word · Verb · IPA /saɪt/ · frequency rank #11,666

## Definitions
1. To quote; to repeat, as a passage from a book, or the words of another.
2. To mention; to make mention of.
3. To mention; to make mention of.
4. To list the source(s) from which one took information, words or literary or verbal context.
5. To summon officially or authoritatively to appear in court.

## Etymology
From Old French citer, from Latin citare (“to cause to move, excite, summon”), frequentative of ciēre (“to rouse, excite, call”). Sense 4 is the original one.

## Easily confused with
- **CT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-ct)
- **cut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-cut)
- **cue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-cue)
- **Civ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-civ)
- **cot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-cot)
- **Coe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-coe)
- **CRT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-crt)
- **CST** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-cst)
- **CTR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-ctr)
- **CME** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-cme)
- **CTE** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-cte)
- **CTO** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-cto)
- **CTA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-cta)
- **CSE** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-cse)
- **CTC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-ctc)
- **come** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-come)
- **city** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-city)
- **code** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-code)
- **core** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-core)
- **cute** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cite-vs-cute)

## Common misspellings (5)
`ccite`, `ciet`, `citte`, `ctie`, `icte`

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