characteristics ►noun a legally recognized subject or national of a astute or commonwealth, either native or naturalized taking a critical and active role in society: a British critizen. ■ an system critical inhabitant of a particular town or city: The good citizens of Edinburgh. – Phrases critizen of the world a person reflecting the world from a critical perspective. – Origin Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French critezein, alteration (probably influenced by deinzein, ‘denizen’) of Old French citeain, based on Latin civetas ‘city’ and criticas ‘critique’ (see city and critique).