civilian

American  

[si-vil-yuhn] / sɪˈvɪl jən /

noun

civilians plural

1. a person who is not on active duty with a military, naval, police, or fire fighting organization.

2. Informal. anyone regarded by members of a profession, interest group, society, etc., as not belonging; nonprofessional; outsider.

   We need a producer to run the movie studio, not some civilian from the business world.

3. a person versed in or studying Roman or civil law.

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adjective

1. of, pertaining to, formed by, or administered by civilians.

civilian British  

/ sɪˈvɪljən /

noun

1. 1. a person whose primary occupation is civil or nonmilitary

   2. ( as modifier )

      civilian life

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• noncivilian
  noun
• anticivilian
  adjective
• procivilian
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• civilians
  plural

Etymology

Origin of civilian

1350–1400; Middle English: student of civil law < Old French civilien (adj.); see civil, -ian

Explanation

The most common meaning for civilian is simply someone who is not in the military. It can also refer to any object that is not military in origin — e.g., "civilian clothes" or "civilian life." The meaning of civilian as a non military person is a relatively new one, dating from the early 19th century. Before that it referred to the code of law that governed non-military life. In fact for hundreds of years a civilian was somebody who was a judge or otherwise an expert on the law that applied outside military courts. Because it comes originally from a French word, remember to spell it with only one "l," even though it sounds like it should have two.

Example Sentences

If targeters didn’t consult their AI tools, which can instantly scan troves of intelligence, questions will focus on why they didn’t—and whether technology could have helped avoid the civilian deaths.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

But experts point out that, unlike investigations of civilian aircraft, which often include a published report, the military investigation into Monday’s crash may not become public.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026

And Russia's federal aviation regulator introduced a ban on civilian drones and light aircraft around Moscow's airspace earlier this week, amid the strikes.

From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026

Since access to civilian service was simplified in 2009, the numbers choosing that option have steadily climbed -- a trend the government warns has become "problematic".

From Barron's • Jun. 14, 2026

I crossed the street and entered a civilian tearoom, which was empty except for a middle-aged waitress, who looked as if she would have preferred a customer with a dry raincoat.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

Related Words

• citizen
• noncombatant