civil
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or consisting of citizens.
civil life; civil society.
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of the commonwealth or state.
civil affairs.
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of citizens in their ordinary capacity, or of the ordinary life and affairs of citizens, as distinguished from military and ecclesiastical life and affairs.
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of the citizen as an individual.
civil liberty.
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befitting a citizen.
a civil duty.
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of, or in a condition of, social order or organized government; civilized: civilized.
civil peoples.
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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
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marked by benevolence.
He was a very civil sort, and we liked him immediately.
- Synonyms:
- courtly, urbane, affable, suave, complaisant, gracious, deferential, respectful
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(of divisions of time) legally recognized in the ordinary affairs of life.
the civil year.
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of or relating to civil law.
adjective
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of the ordinary life of citizens as distinguished from military, legal, or ecclesiastical affairs
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of or relating to the citizen as an individual
civil rights
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of or occurring within the state or between citizens
civil strife
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polite or courteous
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a less common word for civic
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of or in accordance with Roman law
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relating to the private rights of citizens
Related Words
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 Word Forms
- anticivil adjective
- civilly adverb
- civilness noun
- half-civil adjective
- half-civilly adverb
- overcivil adjective
- overcivilly adverb
- quasi-civil adjective
- quasi-civilly adverb
- supercivil adjective
- supercivilly adverb
Etymology
Origin of civil
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin cīvīlis, equivalent to cīv ( is ) citizen + -īlis -il
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.
Defamation cases are typically dealt with in the civil court system which requires a lower burden of proof.
From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026
The indictments — along with a civil lawsuit and grand jury testimony referenced in motions to dismiss the charges — portray Brooks and Smyles as the main drivers of the fights.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026
It was the first time leaders of the two parties had met since the end of the civil war and it paved the way for regular party-to-party exchanges.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
I spoke to Black several hours after he had testified before a House committee’s “shadow hearing” convened by the Democratic minority on civil rights abuses connected to the Trump administration’s immigration raids.
From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026
Amelia Boynton, a well-known local civil rights leader.
From "Because They Marched" by Russell Freedman
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.