civilian

[si-vil-yuhn]

noun

1. a person who is not on active duty with a military, naval, police, or fire fighting organization.

2. Informal.,  anyone regarded by members of a profession, interest group, society, etc., as not belonging; nonprofessional; outsider.

   We need a producer to run the movie studio, not some civilian from the business world.

3. a person versed in or studying Roman or civil law.

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, formed by, or administered by civilians.

civilian

/ sɪˈvɪljən /

noun

1. 1. a person whose primary occupation is civil or nonmilitary

   2. ( as modifier )

      civilian life

Other Word Forms

• anticivilian adjective
• noncivilian noun
• procivilian adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of civilian¹

1350–1400; Middle English: student of civil law < Old French civilien (adj.); civil, -ian

Word History and Origins

Origin of civilian¹

C14 (originally: a practitioner of civil law): from civile (from the Latin phrase jūs cīvīle civil law) + _-ian

Example Sentences

The civilians who took to the streets to bring down Bashir seven years ago are still demanding democracy and justice.

Read more on BBC

Quantum Systems, which actually has no connection to the buzzy world of quantum computing, develops dual use drones for both government and civilian use, such as for agriculture.

Read more on Barron's

French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and civilians.

Read more on BBC

At the time the Israeli military said authorities were looking into reports a Palestinian civilian had been killed.

Read more on BBC

It reflects a deliberate choice to skew incentives toward obedience in the name of hierarchy, discipline, and civilian control, even at the expense of allowing some illegal orders to be carried out.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• citizen 
• noncombatant