civil servant

American  

noun

1. a civil-service employee.

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civil servant British  

noun

1. a member of the civil service

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Etymology

Origin of civil servant

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

“I used to think of myself as a civil servant, providing entertainment.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

“You don’t need to use them — you just need to wear them,” a civil servant says, capturing the government’s one-size-fits-all indifference.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

The commissioner said he had expressed his dismay to Permanent Secretary Joe Griffin, Scotland's most senior civil servant.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

She also had served under his predecessor and was a longtime civil servant well-respected by officers and police brass.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

One book, The Gay Genius, by Lin Yutang, told the story of Su Tung Po, the Chinese poet, artist, philosopher, and civil servant.

From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers

Related Words

• public servant