civil defense

American  

noun

1. plans or activities organized by civilians and civilian authorities for the protection of civilian population and property in times of such disasters or emergencies as war or floods.

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Etymology

Origin of civil defense

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

civil defense

The boy received first aid and was immediately taken to hospital, the Jordanian civil defense said in a statement.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

Hollowed out by years of economic collapse and corruption under Rodríguez and her predecessors, Venezuela’s army, civil defense and other emergency responders are weaker than ever, analysts said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Throughout the 15-month ceasefire that followed, he spent his time coordinating with repair personnel and civil defense crews to get the village running, even as Israeli strikes persisted across south Lebanon.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2026

"It requires surveys to discover and track NEOs, campaigns to characterize those that are hazardous, modeling efforts to understand and predict impact effects and associated consequences, and mitigation through impact avoidance and/or civil defense."

From Science Daily ● Oct. 31, 2025

Christine dutifully submitted to civil defense drills at school, ducking and covering under her desk, practicing the maneuver that adults said would protect her and her classmates from that telltale flash “brighter than the sun.”

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly