Skip to main content
civil

civil

∞ 3.4
Relating to ordinary people, government, or legal matters
  • adjective
  • /ˈsɪvəl/
  • Formal
: civil
  • The city organized a civil forum to discuss community issues and improvements.
  • civil rights
  • civil war
  • civil society

Fear of civil wars and indeed, civil conflicts.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • The conflict itself isn't going on, but there is civil unrest still.

  • And so we continue to see civil society harassed by the NGO law.

  • And I think I, I really hope that our civil society can, can grow.

  • I wanna major in civil law.

  • I think they just settled the civil lawsuit.

  • Tomorrow, we will resume with the civil proceedings.

  • We have all worked in the women's movement and with civil society for many years.

    Academic text (2011)
  • It's the great legal wellspring of the modern civil rights revolution.

  • Days later, President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1968, prohibiting discrimination in housing.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The lawyer prepared for the civil trial that would determine the outcome of the dispute.

Synonyms

civic
vscivil
143 3.2

Relating to a city, its people, and their community duties

refers to society as a whole and to official legal matters

Compounds

514 3.1

A right the law gives people to be treated equally and have basic freedoms

479 3.2

A war between groups in the same country

A mass movement in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s to win equal rights for Black Americans

70 4.6

A basic right protected by law against unfair government action, like freedom of speech or religion

civil suit
  • Specialized
36 3.9

A lawsuit between people or companies to get money for harm that is not criminal

34 2.7

A person who works for a government department in a long-term job and is not elected

Refusing to follow some laws as a peaceful protest against unfair government actions

civil service
  • Formal
24 3.0

Government workers who run public services, are not in the military or courts, and are usually chosen by exams

A person who works to get equal rights for minority groups

civil law
  • Specialized
23 4.1

A system of law about private rights and disputes between people

22 3.6

A person who leads a city or local community and helps run public services

20 3.9

A legal partnership between two people, often same-sex, that gives many marriage rights

A person who works to get equal rights for people in minority groups

13 3.7

A group that trains people to protect their community in war or disasters

A war in the United States from 1861 to 1865 between the North and South over slavery and states' rights

civil engineer
  • Specialized
10 3.4

A person who designs and builds roads, bridges, and harbors for public use

civil action
  • Formal
9 5.3

A legal case to get money or fix a private wrong, not a criminal case

A civil war in Spain from 1936 to 1939 when General Franco overthrew the government

A marriage ceremony carried out by a government official rather than a religious leader

civil engineering
  • Specialized
8 3.5

Work that plans, builds, and looks after public things like roads, bridges, and dams

A person who supports strong personal rights and wants the government to not interfere in private choices

Polite, respectful discussion about political or controversial topics

6 4.5

A person or group that has power over people's daily life, not the military

A person who works to get equal rights and chances for minority groups

A public march where people demand equal rights for different races

2 6.5

Polite speech that shows respect and keeps a calm tone

A person who holds an official government job that is not military

1 4.4

The way a society is organized and kept peaceful

1 8.6

Failing to follow a court order that helps another person, causing fines or jail to make you obey

A war in the United States from 1861 to 1865 between the Northern and Southern states

A war in England from 1642 to 1651 between supporters of Parliament and the king that temporarily ended the monarchy

A United Nations organization that makes rules for safe international air travel

civil wrong
  • Specialized
1 8.1

An action or not doing something that harms another person and can lead to a lawsuit for money

1 8.1

Official checking and blocking of civilian letters and films by the military during war

1 4.2

Time officially used in a region for everyday activities

1 1.4

The year that starts on January 1 and ends on December 31 in the Gregorian calendar

Civil List
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Parliament gives money each year to pay official costs of the British royal family

civil day
  • Formal
1 3.2

A day that runs from midnight to the next midnight

civil death
  • Formal
1 9.9

A state in which a person loses most legal rights such as voting and owning property

civil script
  • Archaic
8.1

A simpler form of the Cyrillic alphabet for printing books and papers that are not religious

How Official

governmental
97 3.6
municipal
112 4.2
civil
  • Formal
∞ 3.4
private
654 2.2

Surface Forms

civil positive

Etymology

Civil comes from the Latin word civis, meaning 'citizen'. So civil also means 'relating to ordinary people or their laws', which is why we use it for non-military staff, 'civil' courts, and other official parts of society.