civil

adjective
UK: /ˈsɪvl/
US: /ˈsɪvəl/

  1. Polite and respectful in behavior.

    1. I tried to be civil even though I was angry. [ ] [ ]
    2. Despite their disagreement, they maintained a civil conversation during the meeting. [ ] [ ]

  2. Relating to ordinary citizens and their concerns, as distinct from military or religious matters.

    1. The civil unrest caused a lot of damage to the city. [ ] [ ]
    2. Civil engineering projects are essential for developing a nation's infrastructure. [ ] [ ]

  3. Relating to laws concerning disputes between private individuals or groups.

    1. She filed a civil lawsuit against her former employer. [ ] [ ]
    2. Civil court handles disputes over contracts, property, and personal injury claims. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

polite courteous respectful well-mannered nonmilitary domestic
civil noun

  1. Relating to the duties and rights of citizens.

    1. He advocates for civil rights and equality for all. [ ] [ ]
    2. The American Civil Liberties Union works to protect individual freedoms. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "civil" in English means: Polite and respectful in behavior., Relating to ordinary citizens and their concerns, as distinct from military or religious matters., Relating to laws concerning disputes between private individuals or groups..

The phonetic transcription of "civil" is /ˈsɪvl/ in British English and /ˈsɪvəl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "civil": polite, courteous, respectful, well-mannered, nonmilitary, domestic.

Example usage of "civil": "I tried to be civil even though I was angry.". More examples on the page.