civilian clothes
Americanplural noun
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everyday or ordinary clothing, as distinguished from a military uniform.
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Informal. ordinary clothing as distinguished from a uniform, clerical garb, or work clothes.
Etymology
Origin of civilian clothes
First recorded in 1885–90
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.
When Johannes Høesflot Klæbo strolls down Sixth Avenue in civilian clothes, he could pass for any number of New York City’s better-looking characters.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
Tuesday's lower house vote could see him exchange his uniform for civilian clothes, as one of the three vice-presidents will go on to be chosen as president by parliament.
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
Mas'ud has told his legal team that he was alone in a small room when three men in civilian clothes came in.
From BBC • Sep. 17, 2025
The guards did not admit the visitors, who were wearing civilian clothes.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2025
On the fourth day, the interrogators wore civilian clothes, not uniforms.
From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden
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.
