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Synonyms

civil service

American  

noun

  1. those branches of public service concerned with all governmental administrative functions outside the armed services.

  2. the body of persons employed in these branches.

  3. a system or method of appointing government employees on the basis of competitive examinations, rather than by political patronage.

civil service British  

noun

  1. the service responsible for the public administration of the government of a country. It excludes the legislative, judicial, and military branches. Members of the civil service have no official political allegiance and are not generally affected by changes of governments

  2. the members of the civil service collectively

"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
civil service Cultural  

  1. The nonmilitary personnel who work for a government, applying its laws and regulations.

Etymology

Origin of civil service

First recorded in 1775–85

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.

Civil service roles in the U.S. were originally designed to serve the Constitution and the public, not individual officeholders.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2025

Civil service workers' unions have also called to join Tuesday's strike, with possible disruptions in schools and other public facilities.

From Reuters • Oct. 18, 2022

Civil service investigator Sue Gray described alcohol-fueled bashes held by Downing Street staff members at a time when pandemic restrictions prevented U.K. residents from socializing or even visiting dying relatives.

From Washington Times • Jun. 6, 2022

Civil service investigator Sue Gray described alcohol-fueled bashes held by Downing Street staff members in 2020 and 2021, when pandemic restrictions prevented U.K. residents from socializing or even visiting dying relatives.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 6, 2022

Civil service reform in the late nineteenth century reduced patronage and corruption and introduced a merit system that allowed blacks to get a foot in the door.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

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.