civil

[siv-uhl]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or consisting of citizens.

   civil life; civil society.

2. of the commonwealth or state.

   civil affairs.

3. of citizens in their ordinary capacity, or of the ordinary life and affairs of citizens, as distinguished from military and ecclesiastical life and affairs.

4. of the citizen as an individual.

   civil liberty.

5. befitting a citizen.

   a civil duty.

6. of, or in a condition of, social order or organized government; civilized: civilized.

   civil peoples.

7. adhering to the norms of polite social intercourse; not deficient in common courtesy.

   After their disagreement, their relations were civil though not cordial.

   Synonyms: courtly, urbane, affable, suave, complaisant, gracious, deferential, respectful
   Antonyms: churlish, boorish

8. marked by benevolence.

   He was a very civil sort, and we liked him immediately.

   Synonyms: courtly, urbane, affable, suave, complaisant, gracious, deferential, respectful
   Antonyms: churlish, boorish

9. (of divisions of time) legally recognized in the ordinary affairs of life.

   the civil year.

10. of or relating to civil law.

civil

/ ˈsɪvəl /

adjective

1. of the ordinary life of citizens as distinguished from military, legal, or ecclesiastical affairs

2. of or relating to the citizen as an individual

   civil rights

3. of or occurring within the state or between citizens

   civil strife

4. polite or courteous

5. a less common word for civic

6. of or in accordance with Roman law

7. relating to the private rights of citizens

Other Word Forms

• civilness noun
• anticivil adjective
• half-civil adjective
• half-civilly adverb
• overcivil adjective
• overcivilly adverb
• quasi-civil adjective
• quasi-civilly adverb
• supercivil adjective
• supercivilly adverb
• civilly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of civil¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin cīvīlis, equivalent to cīv ( is ) citizen + -īlis -il

Word History and Origins

Origin of civil¹

C14: from Old French, from Latin cīvīlis, from cīvis citizen

Synonym Study

Civil, affable, courteous, polite all imply avoidance of rudeness toward others. Civil suggests a minimum of observance of social requirements. Affable suggests ease of approach and friendliness. Courteous implies positive, dignified, sincere, and thoughtful consideration for others. Polite implies habitual courtesy, arising from a consciousness of one's training and the demands of good manners.

Example Sentences

Mozambique and Switzerland brought criminal and civil proceedings, and in 2021 Credit Suisse paid $475 million to settle charges that it defrauded some investors in the debt deals.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“We would like to be civil servants, soldiers, prosecutors…just like we were in Ottoman times.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Dr Chakhunashvili's report echoed the conclusion that local journalists, doctors, and civil rights organisations had come to - that the water cannon must have been laced with a chemical.

Read more on BBC

Public universities are also taking steps to promote civic education and robust civil discourse.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

People escaping the civil war in Sudan now need visas to enter Egypt, or run the risk of deportation.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• civilized 
• cordial 
• courteous 
• diplomatic 
• formal 
• polite