civil rights

[ siv-uhl rahyts ]

/ ˈsɪv əl ˈraɪts /

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See synonyms for: civil rights / civil right on Thesaurus.com

plural noun (often initial capital letters)

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.

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

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of civil rights

First recorded in 1715–25

Words nearby civil rights

civilly, civil marriage, civil partnership, civil righter, civil rightist, civil rights, Civil Rights Act of 1964, civil rights movement, civils, civil servant, civil service

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use civil rights in a sentence

The loss of her job propelled her to focus full-time on writing and expanding her newspaper, which led her to become a civil rights leader and more.
My great-grandmother Ida B. Wells left a legacy of activism in education. We need that now.|Michelle Duster|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
We tried to deal with our original sin of slavery by fighting a Civil War, by passing landmark civil rights legislation.
'Uncomfortable truth’: The new push for a slavery reparations commission in Congress|DeNeen L. Brown|February 10, 2021|Washington Post
Many advocacy groups and public health experts have begun to see internet access as a fundamental civil rights issue.
One big hiccup in US efforts to distribute COVID-19 vaccines? Poor internet access.|By Tamra Burns Loeb, Et Al./The Conversation|February 10, 2021|Popular-Science
The bill is supported by the NAACP and the Anti-Defamation League, among others, which said it would hold platforms accountable for hosting hate speech, enabling civil rights abuse or enabling voter suppression ads.
Cheat sheet: U.S. lawmakers propose Section 230 reforms to regulate online paid speech|Kate Kaye|February 10, 2021|Digiday

Equal access to capital and entrepreneurship is the final civil rights movement
The rise of the activist developer|Walter Thompson|February 9, 2021|TechCrunch
They are, to say the least, preparing for civil war (the polling stations are stormed by armed gangs).
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President|Pierre Assouline|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But what is there more irresponsible than playing with the fire of an imagined civil war in the France of today?
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President|Pierre Assouline|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Compared with neighbors Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos, Cambodia appears to have a blossoming civil society.
Cambodia’s Smoke-and-Mirrors Democracy|David Shaftel|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Strangio is at his best when exposing what appears to be a flourishing civil society in Cambodia.
Cambodia’s Smoke-and-Mirrors Democracy|David Shaftel|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Rashad was there to celebrate the release of the Civil Rights drama Selma.
Phylicia Rashad and the Cult of Cosby Truthers|Stereo Williams|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
His 6,000 native auxiliaries (as it proved later on) could not be relied upon in a civil war.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
For example, there is a vast discussion afoot upon the questions that centre upon Property, its rights and its limitations.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
A lineman was sent out to repair it under escort of civil guards, who were forced by the rebels to retire.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
And we will also settle and assure the particular rights and interests of every planter and adventurer.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
In the good old days of yore there was little trouble in obtaining admission to the Civil Service.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 107, November 3, 1894|Various

British Dictionary definitions for civil rights

civil rights

pl n

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

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

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

Cultural definitions for civil rights

civil rights

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.

notes for civil rights

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.

civil rights

Origin of civil rights

Words nearby civil rights

Words related to civil rights

How to use civil rights in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for civil rights

Cultural definitions for civil rights

notes for civil rights