French Conversation · Level 62
76 words
French word
citer
Pronunciation
IPA/site/
Meaning
- verbquote
Example
Il a cité un passage du livre pendant son discours.
He quoted a passage from the book during his speech.
More examples
Elle a cité plusieurs exemples pour soutenir son propos.
She cited several examples to support her point.
Core concept
A speaker lifts exact words from a source and names their author.
Common phrases
citer un exemple
cite an example
citer une source
cite a source
Similar words
dire: To express thoughts or information in words.
mentionner: To refer to a person or subject in speech or writing.
répéter: To repeat someone else's words or a passage of text.
rapporter: To report something heard or an event to others.
Definition in French
Reproduire textuellement une phrase ou un passage tiré d'une source en indiquant qui en est l'auteur.
Word origin
French citer comes through Old French from Latin citare, 'to call', and developed the sense of naming a source while repeating its words.
Usage tips
- Citer is common in academic, journalistic, and formal contexts, while everyday speech often uses dire or mentionner instead.