citation form: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2 (Low frequency, technical)Formal, Technical (Linguistics)
Quick answer
What does “citation form” mean?
The basic, uninflected form of a word as it appears in a dictionary (e.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The basic, uninflected form of a word as it appears in a dictionary (e.g., 'run' for 'runs', 'ran', 'running').
In linguistics, the standard, canonical form used to represent a lexeme, often used as the entry form in dictionaries and grammatical descriptions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or use. Spelling conventions of examples (e.g., 'analyse' vs. 'analyze') may reflect regional norms.
Connotations
None beyond its technical meaning.
Frequency
Equally low frequency and confined to academic/linguistic contexts in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “citation form” in a Sentence
The citation form of [word/lexeme] is...[Word] is listed under its citation form, which is...To find it, look up the citation form.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in linguistics, lexicography, and language description papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Not used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Core term in morphological analysis, dictionary compilation, and computational linguistics.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “citation form”
- Using 'citation' to mean 'quote' in this compound term.
- Confusing it with 'root' or 'stem', which are related but distinct morphological concepts.
- Assuming it has a non-linguistic meaning.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in linguistics and lexicography, 'lemma' and 'citation form' are often used synonymously to refer to the canonical, dictionary-headword form of a lexical item.
It provides a consistent and efficient way to organise words in dictionaries and linguistic databases, grouping all inflected variants under a single, searchable entry.
Typically, no. The citation form is the uninflected base (e.g., 'child', not 'children'). However, for languages with defective paradigms or suppletion, a common inflected form might serve as the practical citation form (e.g., 'are' might be used for the verb 'be' in some practical dictionaries).
The concept does not change. Specific word citations might reflect regional spelling differences (e.g., 'colour' vs. 'color'), but these are different citation forms for what is considered the same lexeme.
The basic, uninflected form of a word as it appears in a dictionary (e.
Citation form is usually formal, technical (linguistics) in register.
Citation form: in British English it is pronounced /saɪˈteɪ.ʃən ˌfɔːm/, and in American English it is pronounced /saɪˈteɪ.ʃən ˌfɔːrm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CITATION (like a traffic ticket) for the most basic version of a word — the one you'd be 'cited' or referenced for using in a dictionary.
Conceptual Metaphor
A WORD'S PASSPORT PHOTO (a standard, official representation used for identification purposes).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the primary use of the term 'citation form'?