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.

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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

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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.

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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

Against the conventional wisdom that civil rights were fundamentally different from political rights, Black Americans insisted that both were vital to make real America’s most cherished constitutional ideals.

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026

Her lawsuit, filed in the District Court for the Eastern District of California, seeks damages for violations of federal civil rights and state law, including false arrest, unlawful search and seizure, and defamation.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Addressing Sauer, Chief Justice John Roberts pointed toward contemporary civil rights laws that took a broad view of citizenship.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2026

In 1961, the civil rights movement was intensifying across the United States as Dwight was serving as a pilot in the US Air Force.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

As president he envisioned what he called his Great Society—an ambitious set of programs including civil rights legislation and expanded access to quality education and health care.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

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