Where does the word "citizen" come from?

“THE WORLD CITIZEN”

         

The world citizen comes from the Latin word civitas, meaning membership of a city. Today, citizenship refers mainly to membership in a nation. Citizenship is also called nationally, a full membership in a nation. But nationality has a wider meaning and implies a right to protection by one’s own country when visiting another country. Almost all people have citizenship in at least one country.

Citizens have certain rights and duties. The rights of citizens differ from nation to nation. Many nations have constitutions that provide for basic rights known as civil rights, which include freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of assembly. In order to vote, citizens must be registered and must have reached the minimum age. Like citizens’ rights., the duties of citizens also differ from one nation to another. Most governments demand that citizens pay taxes, defend their countries, and obey its laws.

Adapted from The World Book Encyclopedia, Volume 4