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.
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
It has deployed thousands of armed men to patrol the streets, often dressed in civilian clothes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025
Reports from Gaza suggest that armed Hamas units have already deployed across several districts, some wearing civilian clothes and others in the blue uniforms of the Gaza police.
From BBC • Oct. 11, 2025
The guards did not admit the visitors, who were wearing civilian clothes.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2025
They seem lost in their ordinary civilian clothes.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
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.
