Cite, Site and Sight Are Three Different Words
To cite is to quote a source. Two words that sound identical mean a place and the ability to see.
To cite is to quote a source, or to summon someone formally. Three identical-sounding words are constantly confused: *cite* is to quote, from Latin *citare*, to summon; *site* is a place, from Latin *situs*; *sight* is vision, from Old English. Nothing connects them but the sound. The summoning sense survives in law, where a person is *cited* to appear, and in the military, where being *cited* means being formally named for bravery.
- To quote a source. *Cite the study.*
- To summon legally. *Cited to appear.*
- To commend formally. *Cited for bravery.*
- Citation — the reference. *A citation.*
- Latin — *citare*, to summon. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | cite | Citing. |
| Past | cited | Cited. |
| Noun | citation | A citation. |
| Homophone | site | A site. |
| Homophone | sight | Sight. |
- The paper cites forty sources.Academic.
- He was cited for bravery.Commendation.
- Cite, site and sight differ.Spelling.
The citare family
- Cite — to summon or quote
- Excite — to call forth a response
- Incite — to stir into action
- Recite — to call out again
- Solicit — to call for something urgently
Latin *citare*, to summon or set in motion, frequentative of *ciere*, to set moving.
What is the difference between cite, site and sight?
Cite is to quote or summon, site is a place, and sight is vision. They sound alike but share no origin.
Why does cite also mean to commend?
From the legal sense of formally naming someone. A soldier cited for bravery is formally named in dispatches.