citation Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an official award (as for bravery or service) usually given as formal public statement
    commendation.
  2. noun (law) the act of citing (as of spoken words or written passages or legal precedents etc.)
  3. noun a short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage
    acknowledgment; reference; mention; credit; cite; quotation.
    • the student's essay failed to list several important citations
    • the acknowledgments are usually printed at the front of a book
    • the article includes mention of similar clinical cases
  4. noun a passage or expression that is quoted or cited
    quote; quotation.
  5. noun a summons that commands the appearance of a party at a proceeding
  6. noun thoroughbred that won the triple crown in 1948

WordNet

Ci*ta"tion noun
Etymology
F. citation, LL. citatio, fr.L. citare to cite. See Cite
Definitions
  1. An official summons or notice given to a person to appear; the paper containing such summons or notice.
  2. The act of citing a passage from a book, or from another person, in his own words; also, the passage or words quoted; quotation.
    This horse load of citations and fathers. Milton.
  3. Enumeration; mention; as, a citation of facts.
  4. (Law) A reference to decided cases, or books of authority, to prove a point in law.

Webster 1913