How to pronounce citation
Say it like sy-TAY-shun. Citation has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce citation. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- sy
- TAY
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Citation pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- syKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- TAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of citation
American and British speakers say citation in essentially the same way: /saɪˈteɪʃən/ in the US and /saɪˈteɪʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: sy-TAY-shun.
What does citation mean?
- an official award (as for bravery or service) usually given as formal public statement
- (law) the act of citing (as of spoken words or written passages or legal precedents etc.)
- a short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage“the student's essay failed to list several important citations”“the acknowledgments are usually printed at the front of a book”
Where does citation come from?
From Middle English citacioun, from Old French citation, from Latin citātiō.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with citation
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of citation.
Questions about saying citation
How do you pronounce citation?
Say sy-TAY-shun. The American pronunciation is /saɪˈteɪʃən/. In British English it is /saɪˈteɪʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in citation?
Citation has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAY). Broken into parts: sy · TAY · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say citation the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /saɪˈteɪʃən/ and the British form is /saɪˈteɪʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.