cite

verb

OPAL W

/saɪt/

(formal)

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they cite	/saɪt/ /saɪt/
he / she / it cites	/saɪts/ /saɪts/
past simple cited	/ˈsaɪtɪd/ /ˈsaɪtɪd/
past participle cited	/ˈsaɪtɪd/ /ˈsaɪtɪd/
-ing form citing	/ˈsaɪtɪŋ/ /ˈsaɪtɪŋ/

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to mention something as a reason or an example, or in order to support what you are saying
- cite something She cited examples of companies the city has helped relocate or expand.
- Citing unnamed sources, the newspaper reports that the two companies are nearing a deal.
- There is no reason to doubt the information in the articles cited above.
- He cited personal reasons for his decision to resign.
- The Bank of England has cited concerns about inflation for the first time in four years.
- Their method is similar to those used by many studies cited in this report.
- cite something as something He cited his heavy workload as the reason for his breakdown.
Synonyms mention
mention
- refer to somebody/something
- speak
- cite
- quote
These words all mean to write or speak about somebody/something, often in order to give an example or prove something.
- mention to write or speak about something/somebody, especially without giving much information:
  Nobody mentioned anything to me about it.
- refer to somebody/something (rather formal) to mention or speak about somebody/something:
  I promised not to refer to the matter again.
- speak to mention or describe somebody/something:
  Witnesses spoke of a great ball of flame.
- cite (formal) to mention something as a reason or an example, or in order to support what you are saying:
  He cited his heavy workload as the reason for his breakdown.
- quote to mention an example of something to support what you are saying:
  Can you quote me an instance of when this happened?
cite or quote?You can cite reasons or examples, but you can only quote examples: He quoted his heavy workload as the reason for his breakdown. Cite is a more formal word than quote and is often used in more formal situations, for example in descriptions of legal cases.Patterns
- to mention/refer to/speak of/cite/quote somebody/something as somebody/something
- to mention/refer to/cite/quote a(n) example/instance/case of something
- frequently/often mentioned/referred to/spoken of/cited/quoted
- the example mentioned/referred to/cited/quoted above/earlier/previously
Extra Examples
- The most commonly cited reasons for stopping the treatment were side effects.
- This is similar to the example cited above.
- She cited the case of Leigh v. Gladstone.
- One doctor cited the case of a three-year-old dying as a result of extreme obesity.
- This album is often cited as an example of a truly great complete album.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- above
- already
- earlier
- …
preposition
- as
See full entry
to speak or write the exact words from a book, an author, etc. synonym quote
- cite somebody/something He cites no primary sources for his claims.
- She cited a passage from the President’s speech.
- cite somebody/something in something She is the author most often cited in his work.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- above
- already
- earlier
- …
preposition
- as
See full entry
cite somebody (for something) (law) to order somebody to appear in court; to name somebody officially in a legal case
- He was cited for contempt of court.
- She was cited in the divorce proceedings.
cite somebody (for something) to mention somebody officially or publicly because they deserve special praise
- He was cited for bravery.

Word Originlate Middle English (in sense (3), originally with reference to a court of ecclesiastical law): from Old French citer, from Latin citare, from ciere, cire ‘to call’.