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civil engineer

American  

noun

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

civil engineer British  

noun

  1. 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

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

Kathryn Masters, a civil engineer, said the rally was her first “No Kings” event.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 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

Mr Gruter moved to Australia with his wife and works as a civil engineer, according to ABC News.

From BBC • Nov. 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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.