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citation

sigh-TAY-shuhn /saɪˈteɪ.ʃən/

nounB2SATACTTOEFL

legalformal

An official summons issued by a law enforcement officer calling on a person to appear in court or pay a fine.

While 'ticket' is the casual term, 'citation' is the formal legal instrument that initiates a quasi-criminal or administrative proceeding.

The story behind the word. The word citation flows from the Latin verb 'citare', meaning 'to summon' or 'to call forward'. In medieval law, it was the formal call to bring a defendant before a magistrate. Today, when an officer hands you that slip of paper, they are literally 'calling' you to answer to the law.

Word relationships

summons: A summons is typically issued by a court clerk or magistrate, whereas a citation is often issued directly in the field by an officer.
ticket: Ticket is the informal, everyday term, while citation is the precise legal term used in court dockets.

pardon: A pardon forgives an offense after conviction, whereas a citation is the initial charge of an offense.

Commonly confused with

citation (academic): An academic citation credits a source in a paper, while a legal citation is a direct order to answer for an offense.

Word family

cite (verb): To officially summon to appear before a court.

Collocations

issue a citation
traffic citation
written citation
outstanding citation

Example sentences

"The officer handed him a citation for traveling fifteen miles per hour over the posted speed limit." A driver receiving a formal notice for speeding.
"A traffic citation is both a notice of the charge and a promise to appear in court." A legal textbook explaining the nature of traffic summonses.

Memory hook

Think of 'citing' a source in an essay to bring it forward as evidence; a police officer 'cites' you to bring you forward to court. Cite means to call out; a citation calls you out to face the judge.

When not to use

Do not use when referring to a criminal warrant for arrest, as a citation is an alternative to immediate arrest.

Fun facts

In some jurisdictions, signing a traffic citation is not an admission of guilt, but merely a legal agreement to appear in court, avoiding immediate detention.