civil rights

American  

[siv-uhl rahyts] / ˈsɪv əl ˈraɪts /

plural noun

(often initial capital letters)

1. rights to personal liberty established by the 13th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and certain Congressional acts, especially as applied to an individual or a minority group.

2. the rights to full legal, social, and economic equality extended to African Americans.

---

civil rights British  

plural noun

1. the personal rights of the individual citizen, in most countries upheld by law, as in the US

2. (modifier) of, relating to, or promoting equality in social, economic, and political rights

---

civil rights Cultural  

1. A broad range of privileges and rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and subsequent amendments and laws that guarantee fundamental freedoms to all individuals. These freedoms include the rights of free expression and action (civil liberties); the right to enter into contracts, own property, and initiate lawsuits; the rights of due process and equal protection of the laws; opportunities in education and work; the freedom to live, travel, and use public facilities wherever one chooses; and the right to participate in the democratic political system.

---

Discover More

Efforts to redress the situation of inequality, such as the civil rights movement and the women's movement, have resulted in legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, in affirmative action, and in the creation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Etymology

Origin of civil rights

First recorded in 1715–25

Example Sentences

These are folks who are like, “I come from a civil rights tradition.”

From Slate • Jun. 17, 2026

Wilson, who was the biographer for A. Philip Randolph, the iconic civil rights and labor leader, said the Ohio FBI raids “were an act of desperation that will backfire and only inspire greater voter turnout.”

From Salon • Jun. 16, 2026

It is one of several exhibits that address the struggle for greater freedom over the centuries, including against slavery and in modern times for civil rights.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Justice Department, appeared alongside Bondi representing the department.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

In a victory for the civil rights movement, Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote that states cannot use trespass laws against individuals protesting state-mandated segregation policies.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

• freedom
• freedom of religion
• freedom of speech
• human rights