Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Cite for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is "Cite" — verb, pronounced /saɪt/, with the stress on the first syllable.
Narrator: To cite something means to mention it as evidence or proof of a point you are trying to make.
Narrator: In plain English, it is the act of pointing to a source to back up what you have just said.
Narrator: The word stems from the Latin citare, which originally meant to summon or to call forward.
Narrator: A common collocation is to cite a source, which describes the formal practice of referencing academic materials.
Narrator: It differs from quote, which refers specifically to repeating the exact words of another person.
Narrator: In a legal sense, it can also mean to summon someone to appear in court.
Narrator: Academic writing, journalism, and legal practice all rely heavily on the ability to cite information accurately.
Narrator: So remember: to cite is to provide the pedigree for your claims.
Speaker A: Is it really important to always mention where you find information?
Speaker B: Absolutely, which is why we CITE sources, tracing back to that Latin root citare to call upon the truth.
Speaker A: Why does that matter so much in daily conversation?
Speaker B: Because it builds credibility by showing your evidence is rooted in something tangible.
Speaker A: Example sentences?
Speaker B: She chose to cite several studies to support her argument; he had to cite the relevant legislation during the debate; please cite the specific article you read yesterday.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: People often confuse cite with site, which refers to a location, or sight, which concerns vision.
Speaker A: Close relatives?
Speaker B: Reference is a formal cousin, mention is a casual twin, and quote is a specific alternative that keeps its academic charm!
Speaker B: Let's use "cite" in AI prompts — useful for technical report writing and legal summarisation.
Speaker A: How do we ensure the AI actually uses references?
Speaker B: You must explicitly instruct the model to ground its response in the provided text.
Prompt: Draft a summary of the provided white paper and cite specific page numbers for each key claim.
Speaker A: What about when I am comparing multiple sources?
Speaker B: The prompt should force the AI to compare the sources by comparing their citations.
Prompt: Compare these two legal documents and cite the conflicting clauses regarding liability.
Speaker A: Can this help with writing blog posts?
Speaker B: It can indeed, by forcing the AI to link to factual databases.
Prompt: Write a blog post about climate change and cite three recent peer-reviewed scientific studies.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: Here is a final one for technical documentation.
Prompt: Explain the new software policy and cite the exact section of the handbook that covers data retention.
Cite — meaning in Arabic & definition More C courses GL Dictionary