civil servant
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of civil servant
First recorded in 1790–1800
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.
Sir Olly Robbins, the FCDO's top civil servant, was sacked by Sir Keir Starmer earlier this year over Lord Mandelson's security clearance.
From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026
The changes are part of the government's response to a review of political funding, external led by former senior civil servant Philip Rycroft.
From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026
Many say the idyll began to unravel when New Delhi appointed civil servant Jayanti Ravi to head Auroville in 2021.
From Barron's • Jun. 25, 2026
Thai scholar Pavin Chachavalpongpun, known for his criticism of the monarchy, recalled meeting the princess in Singapore, describing her as someone who "treated every civil servant with kindness and respect".
From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026
At that time, a career as a civil servant was a glittering prize for an African, the highest that a black man could aspire to.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
