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civil engineer

American

noun

a person who designs public works, as roads, bridges, canals, dams, and harbors, or supervises their construction or maintenance.

civil engineer British

noun

a person qualified to design, construct, and maintain public works, such as roads, bridges, harbours, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

civil engineering

noun

Etymology

Origin of civil engineer

First recorded in 1785–95

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

An immigrant from Colombia, he works as a civil engineer specializing in bridge construction, and was deemed to “perform services of exceptional merit and ability” by the federal government.

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026

A former deputy prime minister and home minister, Lamichhane has formed an alliance with former Kathmandu mayor Balendra "Balen" Shah, 35 -- a rapper and civil engineer with a considerable online following.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

"Europe, the United States, everyone in the whole world is watching the West Bank," said Wadi abu Awad, a civil engineer who lives in the nearby village of Turmus Aya, which has seen repeated attacks.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2025

A civil engineer, he approaches life with an analytical eye and rarely gets worked up.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 17, 2025

He was a civil engineer and a geologist, with a special interest in landslides.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023