civil
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
relating to ordinary citizens and their government, rather than the military or the church.
relating to the state or its citizens as a whole, specifically as distinguished from military or ecclesiastical matters.
Simple“After years of military rule, the country finally returned to civil government.”
In context“The transition from a military junta to a civil administration required extensive constitutional reforms to ensure the protection of individual liberties.”
UsageUsually placed before the noun.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
polite and reasonable, especially when you are trying to avoid an argument.
adhering to the minimum standards of social politeness; often implies a lack of warmth or friendliness while remaining formal.
Simple“They are no longer friends, but they managed to be civil to each other at the party.”
In context“Despite their deep-seated professional rivalry, the two scientists remained civil during the panel discussion, focusing strictly on the data.”
Teacher's tipThis sense often suggests that the person is being polite only because they have to be, not because they are being kind.
- 03 C1 Advanced
relating to laws about private matters, like contracts or family, rather than crimes.
relating to private rights and remedies sought by action or suit, as distinct from criminal law.
Simple“The company is facing a civil lawsuit over the broken contract.”
In context“While the defendant was acquitted in criminal court, he still faced significant financial penalties in the subsequent civil proceedings.”
UsageCommonly used in phrases like 'civil law', 'civil suit', or 'civil court'.
Usage civil forum · civil constructive · civil code
“The Foreign Office has given civil servants extra payments for working in areas where there is a high level of danger, or high risks to health, for the past 30 years.”
“Anna*, a civil servant who has three children under the age of seven, said she and her husband take turns working from home to avoid paying for after-school childcare.”
From Middle English cyvyl, civil, borrowed from Old French civil, from Latin cīvīlis (“relating to a citizen”), from cīvis (“citizen”). Cognate with Old English hīwen (“household”), hīrǣden (“family”). More at hind; hird.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.