civil

[ siv-uhl ]

/ ˈsɪv əl /

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adjective

of, relating to, or consisting of citizens: civil life; civil society.

of the commonwealth or state: civil affairs.

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

of the citizen as an individual: civil liberty.

befitting a citizen: a civil duty.

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

adhering to the norms of polite social intercourse; not deficient in common courtesy: After their disagreement, their relations were civil though not cordial.

marked by benevolence: He was a very civil sort, and we liked him immediately.

(of divisions of time) legally recognized in the ordinary affairs of life: the civil year.

of or relating to civil law.

OTHER WORDS FOR civil

7, 8 respectful, deferential, gracious, complaisant, suave, affable, urbane, courtly.

See synonyms for civil on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR civil

7, 8 boorish, churlish.

See antonyms for civil on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of civil

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

synonym study for civil

7, 8. 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.

OTHER WORDS FROM civil

civ·il·ness, nounan·ti·civ·il, adjectivehalf-civil, adjectivehalf-civ·il·ly, adverb

o·ver·civ·il, adjectiveo·ver·civ·il·ly, adverbquasi-civil, adjectivequa·si-civ·il·ly, adverbsu·per·civ·il, adjectivesu·per·civ·il·ly, adverb

Words nearby civil

civic centre, civic-minded, civics, civic university, civies, civil, Civil Aeronautics Board, Civil Air Patrol, civil court, civil day, civil death

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use civil in a sentence

Malcolm was incarcerated for several years and went on to mobilize thousands on issues of both civil and human rights.
How Laurence Fishburne Gave Voice To ‘The Autobiography Of Malcolm X’|Joi-Marie McKenzie|September 17, 2020|Essence.com
To create lasting community change, meaningful reforms should also be a component of civil settlements.
The policing reforms in the Breonna Taylor settlement, explained|Fabiola Cineas|September 17, 2020|Vox
I would say that with civil disturbance type operations, we’re reluctant because there are many things that can go wrong.
Mobilizing the National Guard Doesn’t Mean Your State Is Under Martial Law. Usually.|by Logan Jaffe|September 17, 2020|ProPublica
I've had long conversations with the civil rights community here to say that I recognize that he would have been a great assistant attorney general for civil rights.
The Trailer: The First State goes last|David Weigel|September 15, 2020|Washington Post

The city and the district attorney listed multiple “Does” on each injunction upon the initial filing, so that law enforcement could add people in the future without having to file another civil injunction.
While We’re Rethinking Policing, It’s Time to End Gang Injunctions|Jamie Wilson|September 15, 2020|Voice of San Diego
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
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
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
He held various civil offices, was a justice of the peace about 60 years, and for many years a member of the state legislature.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
Alessandro had hard work to give civil answers to the men who wished to buy Benito and the wagon for quarter of their value.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson

British Dictionary definitions for civil

civil

/ (ˈsɪvəl) /

adjective

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

of or relating to the citizen as an individualcivil rights

of or occurring within the state or between citizenscivil strife

polite or courteous

a less common word for civic

of or in accordance with Roman law

relating to the private rights of citizens

Derived forms of civil

civilly, adverbcivilness, noun

Word Origin for civil

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

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

OTHER WORDS FOR civil

OPPOSITES FOR civil

Origin of civil

synonym study for civil

OTHER WORDS FROM civil

Words nearby civil

Words related to civil

How to use civil in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for civil

Derived forms of civil

Word Origin for civil