different between denizen vs citizen

English

Etymology

From Middle English denisein, from Old French denzein, from deinz (“within”) +? -ein, from Late Latin deintus (“from within”), whence French dans.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /?d?n.?.z?n/

Noun

denizen (plural denizens)

1. An inhabitant of a place; one who dwells in.

   The giant squid is one of many denizens of the deep.

   • 1820, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe, Chapter 39,^[1]

     […] adversity bends the heart as fire bends the stubborn steel, and those who are no longer their own governors, and the denizens of their own free independent state, must crouch before strangers.

   • 1912: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, Chapter 6

     The cries of the gorilla proclaimed that it was in mortal combat with some other denizen of the fierce wood. Suddenly these cries ceased, and the silence of death reigned throughout the jungle.

2. One who frequents a place.

   The denizens of that pub are of the roughest sort.

   • 1839, Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist, Chapter 26,^[2]

     He was well known to the sallow denizens of the lane; for such of them as were on the look-out to buy or sell, nodded, familiarly, as he passed along.
3. (Britain, historical) A person with rights between those of naturalized citizen and resident alien (roughly permanent resident), obtained through letters patent.
   • 1548, Edward Hall, The Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre and Yorke, London, The xiiii yere,^[4]

     Then by commaundement wer all Fre[n]chemen and Scottes imprisoned and the goodes seazed, and all suche as were denizens were commaunded to shewe their letters patentes […]

   • 1765, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, Book 1, Chapter X, p. 374

     A denizen is a kind of middle state, between an alien and a natural-born subject, and partakes of both.

   • 1803, John Browne Cutting, “A Succinct History of Jamaica” in Robert Charles Dallas, The History of the Maroons, London: Longman and Rees, Volume 1, p. xlv,^[5]

     All free persons were authorized and permitted to transport themselves, their families, and goods […] to Jamaica, from any part of the British dominions; and their children born in Jamaica were declared free denizens of England, entitled to the same privileges as free born subjects of England.

   Though born in Iceland, he became a denizen of Britain after leaving Oxford.

4. (biology) An animal or plant from a particular range or habitat.

   The bald eagle is a denizen of the northern part of the state.

5. A foreign word that has become naturalised in another language.

Usage notes

As a British legal category, used between 13th and 19th century (mentioned but not used in 20th century), made obsolete by naturalisation – see denization.

Synonyms

• (inhabitant of a place): dweller, inhabitant, native, resident
• (one who frequents a place): regular

Derived terms

• denization
• denizenship

Related terms

• citizen

Translations

Verb

denizen (third-person singular simple present denizens, present participle denizening, simple past and past participle denizened)

1. (transitive, Britain, historical) To grant rights of citizenship to; to naturalize.

   He was denizened to Ireland after fleeing his home country.

   • 1664, John Evelyn, Sylva, or A Discourse of Forest-Trees and the Propagation of Timber, London: 1670, Chapter 7, “Of the Chesnut,” p. 42,^[6]

     [The Horse-Chessnut] was first brought from Constantinople to Vienna, thence into Italy, and so France; but to ?s from the Levant more immediately, and flourishes so well, and grows so goodly a Tree in compe[te]nt time, that by this alone, we might have ample encouragement to Denizen other strangers amongst us.

   • 1693, John Dryden (translator), The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis, London: Jacob Tonson, The Third Satyr, p. 38,^[7]

     Poor Refugies at first, they purchase here:

     And, soon as Denizen’d, they domineer.

2. (transitive) To provide with denizens; to populate with adopted or naturalized occupants.
   • 1849, Joseph Dalton Hooker, “Extracts from the Private Letters of Dr. J. D. Hooker, written during a Botanical Mission to India” in William Jackson Hooker (editor), Hooker’s Journal of Botany and Kew Garden Miscellany, London: Reeve, Benham and Reeve, Volume 1, p. 85,^[8]

     There were a few islets in the sand […] . These were at once denizened by the Calotropis, Argemone, Tamarix, Gnaphalium luteoalbum and two other species […] .

Anagrams

• endizen

English

Alternative forms

• cytesin (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English citeseyn, citezein, borrowed from Anglo-Norman citesain (“burgher; city-dweller”), citezein &c., probably a variant of cithein under influence of deinzein (“denizen”), from Anglo-Norman and Old French citeain &c. and citaien, citeien &c. ("burgher"; modern French citoyen), from cité ("settlement; cathedral city, city"; modern French cité) + -ain or -ien (“-an, -ian”). See city and hewe.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?s?t?z?n/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?s?t?z?n/, /?s?t?s?n/

Noun

citizen (plural citizens)

1. A resident of a city or town, especially one with legally-recognized rights or duties. [from 14th c.]

   Synonyms: burgess, burgher, cityite, freeman

   Hyponyms: citess, (female) citizeness
2. A legally-recognized member of a state, with associated rights and obligations; a person considered in terms of this role. [from 14th c.]
   • 1990, House of Cards, Season 1, Episode 4:

     Assistant: You'll meet with the managing director and Dr Sinita Brahmachari, the engineer who designed the chair.
     Peter Mackenzie: Indian, is he?
     Assistant: She is a British citizen, Minister. Born in Coventry.

   I am a Roman citizen.

   Synonyms: countryman, national

   Antonyms: alien, illegal alien, foreigner, (colloquial) illegal

   Hyponyms: first-class citizen, second-class citizen, third-class citizen, native, naturalized citizen, senior citizen

3. An inhabitant or occupant: a member of any place. [from 14th c.]
   • 1979 October, Boys' Life, p. 33:

     A jellyfish... carries poison cells that can sting other citizens of the sea.

   Synonyms: denizen, local, inhabitant, native, occupant, resident

   Antonyms: alien, outsider, stranger

4. (Christianity) A resident of the heavenly city or (later) of the kingdom of God: a Christian; a good Christian. [from 15th c.]
5. A civilian, as opposed to a police officer, soldier, or member of some other specialized (usually state) group. [from 16th c.]
6. (obsolete) An ordinary person, as opposed to nobles and landed gentry on one side and peasants, craftsmen, and laborers on the other. [17th–19th c.]
   • 1782, Frances Burney, Cecilia, III.v.6:

     [W]ould Mr. Delvile, who hardly ever spoke but to the high-born, without seeming to think his dignity somewhat injured, deign to receive for a daughter in law the child of a citizen and tradesman?

7. (now historical, usually capitalized) A term of address among French citizens during the French Revolution or towards its supporters elsewhere; (later, dated) a term of address among socialists and communists. [from 18th c.]

   Synonym: (term of address among communists) comrade

8. (computing) An object.

   Hyponyms: first-class citizen, second-class citizen, third-class citizen

Synonyms

• burgess
• burgher
• denizen
• townsman, townswoman

Antonyms

• (resident of a city): countryfolk, country gentleman, countryman, peasant, villager

Hyponyms

• (person who is legally recognized as a member or resident): first-class citizen, second-class citizen, third-class citizen

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

References

• Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd ed. "citizen, n. and adj." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2014.

Anagrams

• zincite