Even after mastering any language, the grammar part of any language is complicated as the rules keep on changing. Even experts can be perplexed with homophones.
For instance, the words Site and Cite are pair of homophones that is one of the most confusing pairs of all time, as they differ in just one letter but are poles apart in meaning and usage.
Key Takeaways
- “Site” is a noun that refers to a specific location or place, particularly in the context of construction, development, or geography.
- “Cite” is a verb that means to quote or refer to a source as evidence, particularly in academic writing or legal contexts.
- Proper usage of “site” and “cite” is essential for clear and effective communication, as language has distinct meanings and functions.
Site vs Cite
The difference between Site and Cite is that site is a word that denotes a fixed location of a house or any city. We choose a site to construct a permanent structure, for instance, a mosque, temple, or church. On the other hand, the word cite is used to quote something or to provide references or context.
The word site acts as a noun and as a verb. It is used to describe a location or a specific place. We extensively use the word site in cultural and historical locations.
For instance, the Eiffel Tower is a site worth visiting. The word Site can also mean an internet service with a common domain name, popularly known as a website.
The word cite (verb) is used to quote a point, link, or passage in a document. The person planning the document or a book (an author) provides enough context or references in their books.
Citing something varies according to the paper in use. For instance, while documenting an academic research paper, the student needs to cite the sources used in that paper.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Site | Cite |
|---|---|---|
| Type/ Classification | Noun and Verb | Verb |
| Description | A specific area/ location | To quote or to provide references |
| Etymology | Latin word- Situs (Local position/ location) | Latin word- Citare (summon in a court) |
| Additional meanings/ definitions | Website/ internet service | Legal Citation, Bibliographic Citation, etc. |
| In sentences | He wanted to have a look at the site designated for the construction | It is vital to cite the link in the assignment. |
What is a Site?
Aforementioned, Site is a word that falls under the classification of a noun and a verb. As a noun, in layman’s terms, it denotes a location or a specific area that is permanent.
For instance, a location designated to a church falls under a site. Almost every religious/ spiritual place encompasses a religious/ Cultural Site. As a verb, the word signifies the act of fixing something.
For instance, he decided to site this area as the classroom.
We derived the word Site from the Latin word Situs which means a local area/ position. There are umpteen sites such as archaeological sites, cultural sites, construction sites, etc.
An Archaeological Site is a location that provides enough evidence of past activities, including dinosaurs in the past. They preserve these sites in the archaeological records of the country.
Active research takes place in these areas to find more paleontological shreds of evidence. These sites may be above the ground, deep below the sea, below the ground.
These sites are not limited to a confined space. With increasing research, the site keeps on expanding.
A cultural site (referred to as heritage sites). It includes many historic sites, monuments, paintings, for instance, the Pyramids in Egypt, the Taj Mahal of India, etc.
While a construction site is an area wherein infrastructures will be developed shortly.
The word site could also mean a website or a group of websites with the same domain. Even then, the designation/ description remains the same as a website is a location in the vast world of the internet.
What is Cite?
As mentioned above, cite is a word that is a typical verb. It represents the act of stating or providing a reference. Students working in the research field are likely to quote the reference in every academic research paper.
The feature of citing something is followed by authors too.
We derived the term Cite from the Latin word Citare, which practically means voluntarily to appear at the court. This derivation occurred thousands of years ago. This is the reason; the word Cite is one of the oldest words in the English Language.
Initially, the word Cite was used in Legal terms- Legal Citations, which denotes the act of summoning in the court for a crime. Sometimes, extra charges/ penal codes are cited in a Legal Document or a Charge Sheet.
When an author uses a citation, it is referred to as Bibliographic Citation. The author needs to be extra careful while composing a book and citing another book.
The citation must include the book’s name, author details, year of publishing, etc. While formulating an online research paper or a document, the citation is done by providing links from websites like dictionary.com.
Medical Citation requires doctors to quote/ state other diseases and medical terminologies while composing one report. Thus, we can deduce that one word- cite can vary with varying sectors.
Main Differences Between Site and Cite
- We can classify the word site as a noun and a verb, whereas the term cite can be classified as a verb.
- The word site denotes a location or a specific position, while the word cite denotes the act of stating or quoting a reference.
- The term site was derived from the Latin word- Situs, whereas the term Cite was derived from the Latin word- Citare.
- The word site can also be referred to as a website or a webpage, whereas the word cite could also mean a specific type of citation- Bibliographic citations.
- We can use the word site in a sentence as, ‘This site is chosen for the construction of a school, while we can use the word cite in a sentence as ‘Kindly cite the required links in the paper.
Last Updated : 25 July, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
