citation etymology

Etymology

The word "citation" originates from the Latin word "citare," which means "to call out" or "to summon."

Meaning

In its most general sense, a citation refers to an act of citing or referring to something as evidence or authority. It can also have the following specific meanings:

  • Legal: A formal document that summons a person to appear in court or provides evidence in a legal case.
  • Academic: A reference to a source in a written work, such as a book, article, or website.
  • Bibliographic: A complete reference to a publication, used to identify and locate it.
  • Journalistic: A mention of a person or organization as a source of information in a news report.
  • Scientific: A reference to a previous study or experiment that supports or informs a current research project.

Origin

The concept of citation has been used throughout history in various forms. In ancient Rome, citizens were required to attend public assemblies, known as "contiones," where they could be summoned or "cited" to speak or provide evidence.

In the Middle Ages, legal citations were used to establish precedents and provide authority for court decisions. The use of citations in academic writing became common during the Renaissance, as scholars began to rely more heavily on the work of previous authors.

The modern concept of a citation as a standard reference format was developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in the fields of journalism and academia.

citation relate terms

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  • citation

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  • cite

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  • excite

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  • hest

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  • hight

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    Etymology From Greek hyper excessive kinetikos moving Meaning Extremely

  • incite

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  • kinematics

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  • kinesiology

    Etymology kine Greek movement motion ology Greek study of Meaning Kinesiol

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    Etymology Greek kinesis movement motion Meaning The scientific study of move

  • kinesthesia

    Etymology kinesthesia n 1640s from Greek kinema kinesis motion n esthesia

  • kinesthetic

    Etymology kinestho Greek pertaining to movement esthesia Greek sensatio

  • kinetic

    Etymology Kinetic From the Greek word kinesis meaning motion Etymology From the

  • kineto

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    Etymology From Latin oscitans present participle of oscitare to gape yawn Ultimate

  • recital

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  • recitation

    Etymology Latin recitatio noun recitare verb Meaning The act of reading

  • recite

    Etymology re prefix again back anew citare Latin to call summon cite Origin

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  • solicit

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    Etymology Latin solicitus anxious Proto Indo European sel to be concerned

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  • sweat

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  • mako

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  • piteous

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  • excerpt

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  • epigraph

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  • accolade

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