civil

Etymology

From Middle English 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.

Pronunciation

• enPR: ʹsĭv-əl IPA^(key): /ˈsɪv.əl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪvəl

Adjective

civil (comparative more civil, superlative most civil)

1. (not comparable) 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. (comparable) Behaving in a reasonable or polite manner.

   It was very civil of him to stop the argument.

   Antonyms: anti-civil, noncivil

Anagrams

• clivi

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /siˈvil/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /siˈbil/

Adjective

civil (masculine and feminine plural civils)

1. civil

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /siˈviˀl/

Adjective

civil

1. civil (all senses), civilian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /si.vil/

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

civil (feminine singular civile, masculine plural civils, feminine plural civiles)

1. civil (war, marriage etc.)
2. (politics) lay
3. civilian
4. (literary) civil, courteous, polite

Noun

civil m (plural civils)

1. civilian

Further reading

• “civil” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis, from cīvis (“citizen”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱey- (“to lie down, settle; home, family; love; beloved”).

Adjective

civil m

1. (Jersey) polite
2. (Jersey) civil

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis.

Adjective

civil m (feminine singular civila, masculine plural civils, feminine plural civilas)

1. civil

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin civic; civil, from citizen.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /si.ˈviw/
• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /si.ˈviɫ/
• Hyphenation: ci‧vil

Adjective

civil m, f (plural civis, comparable)

1. civil; civilian (not relating to the military or clergy)

   Se não quiser levar um tiro, use roupas civis. ― If you don’t want to be shot, use civilian clothing.

2. civic (relating to citizens)

   Deves cumprir tua obrigação civil. ― You must perform your civic duty.

3. (law) relating to civil law

   Estudo direito civil. ― I study civil law.

4. occurring between the inhabitants of the same country

   Guerra civil. ― Civil war.

5. civil (behaving in a reasonable or polite manner)

   Seja mais civil e pare de criticar as pessoas. ― Be more civil and stop criticising people.

Noun

civil m, f (plural civis)

1. civilian, non-combatant (person who is not a member of the military, police or belligerent group)

Alternative forms

• țivil (archaic and popular)

Etymology

Borrowed from French civil, Latin civilis.

Adjective

civil

1. civil

Noun

civil m (plural civili)

1. civilian

Related terms

• civilitate
• civiliza
• civilizație
• cetate

Etymology

Borrowed from German Zivil, from French civil, from Latin cīvīlis (“civic, civil”), from cīvis (“citizen”).

Noun

cìvīl m (Cyrillic spelling цѝвӣл)

1. civilian (not related to the military armed forces)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin cīvīlis (“civil, civic”), from cīvis (“citizen”).

Pronunciation

• (Castilian) IPA^(key): /θiˈbil/, [θiˈβil]
• (Latin America) IPA^(key): /siˈbil/, [siˈβil]

• Audio (Latin America)

  (file)

• Homophone: sibil (non-Castilian dialects)
• Rhymes: -il

Adjective

civil (plural civiles) (superlative civilísimo)

1. civil (all senses)

Adjective

civil

1. civil; having to do with people and organizations outside military or police, sometimes also outside of other team-based activities, such as a professional sports team