Definitions for civil
ˈsɪv əlciv·il

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. civiladjective

   applying to ordinary citizens as contrasted with the military

   "civil authorities"

2. civil, politeadjective

   not rude; marked by satisfactory (or especially minimal) adherence to social usages and sufficient but not noteworthy consideration for others

   "even if he didn't like them he should have been civil"- W.S. Maugham

3. civiladjective

   of or occurring within the state or between or among citizens of the state

   "civil affairs"; "civil strife"; "civil disobedience"; "civil branches of government"

4. civil, civicadjective

   of or relating to or befitting citizens as individuals

   "civil rights"; "civil liberty"; "civic duties"; "civic pride"

5. civiladjective

   (of divisions of time) legally recognized in ordinary affairs of life

   "the civil calendar"; "a civil day begins at mean midnight"

6. civiladjective

   of or in a condition of social order

   "civil peoples"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. civiladjective

   Having to do with people and government office as opposed to the military or religion.

   She went into civil service because she wanted to help the people.

2. civiladjective

   Behaving in a reasonable or polite manner.

   It was very civil of him to stop the argument.

3. Etymology: From civilis, from civis.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. CIVILadjective

   Etymology: civilis, Latin.

   1. Relating to the community; political; relating to the city or government.

   God gave them laws of civil regimen, and would not permit their commonweal to be governed by any other laws than his own. Richard Hooker, b. iii. s. 11.

   Part such as appertain
   To civil justice; part, religious rites
   Of sacrifice. John Milton, Paradise Lost, b. xii. l. 231.

   But there is another unity, which would be most advantageous to our country; and that is your endeavour after a civil, a political union in the whole nation. Thomas Sprat, Sermon.

   2. Relating to any man as a member of a community.

   Break not your promise, unless it be unlawful or impossible; either out of your natural, or out of your civil power. Taylor.

   3. Not in anarchy; not wild; not without rule or government.

   For rudest minds with harmony were caught,
   And civil life was by the muses taught. Wentworth Dillon.

   4. Not foreign; intestine.

   From a civil war, God of his mercy defend us, as that which is most desperate of all others. Francis Bacon, to Villers.

   5. Not ecclesiastical; as, the ecclesiastical courts are controlled by the civil.6. Not natural; as, a person banished or outlawed is said to suffer civil, though not natural death.7. Not military; as, the civil magistrates authority is obstructed by war.8. Not criminal; as, This is a civil process, not a criminal prosecution.9. Civilised; not barbarous.

   England was very rude and barbarous; for it is but even the other day since England grew civil. Edmund Spenser, on Ireland.

   10. Complaisant; civilised; gentle; well bred; elegant of manners; not rude; not brutal; not coarse.

   I heard a mermaid, on a dolphin’s back,
   Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath,
   That the rude sea grew civil at her song. William Shakespeare.

   He was civil and well natured, never refusing to teach another. John Dryden, Dufresnoy.

   And fall these sayings from that gentle tongue,
   Where civil speech and soft persuasion hung. Matthew Prior.

   11. Grave; sober; not gay or shewy.

   Thus night oft see me in thy pale career,
   ’Till civil suited morn appear. John Milton, Poems.

   12. Relating to the ancient consular or imperial government; as, civil law.

   No woman had it, but a civil doctor. William Shakespeare, Merch. of Ven.

Webster Dictionary(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Civiladjective

   pertaining to a city or state, or to a citizen in his relations to his fellow citizens or to the state; within the city or state

2. Civiladjective

   subject to government; reduced to order; civilized; not barbarous; -- said of the community

3. Civiladjective

   performing the duties of a citizen; obedient to government; -- said of an individual

4. Civiladjective

   having the manners of one dwelling in a city, as opposed to those of savages or rustics; polite; courteous; complaisant; affable

5. Civiladjective

   pertaining to civic life and affairs, in distinction from military, ecclesiastical, or official state

6. Civiladjective

   relating to rights and remedies sought by action or suit distinct from criminal proceedings

7. Etymology: [L. civilis, fr. civis citizen: cf. F. civil. See City.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Civil

   siv′il, adj. pertaining to the community: having the refinement of city-bred people: polite: commercial, not military: lay, secular, or temporal, not ecclesiastical: pertaining to the individual citizen: (law) relating to private relations amongst citizens, and such suits as arise out of these, as opposed to criminal: (theol.) naturally good, as opposed to good through regeneration.—ns. Civil′ian, a professor or student of civil law (not canon law): one engaged in civil as distinguished from military and other pursuits; Civ′ilist, one versed in civil law; Civil′ity, good-breeding: politeness.—adv. Civ′illy.—adj. Civ′il-suit′ed (Milton), sombrely clad.—n. Civ′ism, good citizenship, state of being well-affected to the government.—Civil death, the loss of all civil and legal but not natural privileges, as by outlawry: Civil engineer, one who plans rail-ways, docks, &c., as opposed to a military engineer, or to a mechanical engineer, who makes machines, &c.; Civil law, as opposed to criminal law: the law laid down by a state regarding the rights of the inhabitants; Civil list, now the expenses of the sovereign's household only; Civil list pensions, those granted by royal favour; Civil service, the paid service of the state, in so far as it is not military or naval; Civil war, a war between citizens of the same state. [L. civīlis—civis.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. civil

   Relating to citizens.

   The civil rights were create easily and efficiently in partnership with local unity government members.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on March 31, 2020  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'civil' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1152

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'civil' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2255

3. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'civil' in Adjectives Frequency: #144

How to pronounce civil?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say civil in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of civil in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of civil in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of civil in a Sentence

1. Alireza Miryousefi:

   President Saleh was the sweetheart of America and Saudi Arabia, it seems petro-dollars are promoting such reports in order to rationalize war crimes in Yemen as well as the oppression of Bahrain’s completely civil and popular protests.

2. John Conyers:

   Our hearts go out to her family, but as we think about the proper way to respond to the situation, we must make sure we do not adopt policies that would diminish public safety and undermine our commitment to the Constitution and civil liberties.

3. Hennadiy Zubko:

   All the recommendations from the ICAO( International Civil Aviation Organization) were carried out... Ukraine closed its airspace below 9,750 metres( 32,000 feet).

4. Mat Staver:

   Yes, I’m talking about civil disobedience, i’m talking about resistance and I’m talking about peaceful resistance against unjust laws and unjust rulings.

5. Pat Bell:

   He's not a rude person and (the Bushes) weren't raised to be rude. You have to be civil, he's a thinker and a doer. He doesn't mouth off.

Popularity rank by frequency of use