Civil Definition

sĭvəl

adjective

Of a citizen or citizens.

Civil rights.

Webster's New World

Of a community of citizens, their government, or their interrelations.

Civil service, civil war.

Webster's New World

Polite or courteous, esp. in a merely formal way.

Webster's New World

Of citizens in procedures or matters that are not military or religious.

Civil marriage.

Webster's New World

Sufficiently observing or befitting accepted social usages; polite.

A civil reply.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

noun

Of or pertaining to all matters concerning the law except for matters arising under criminal law and military law. See also civil law.

Webster's New World Law

Secular.

Webster's New World Law

Of or pertaining to the duties, rights, and status of citizens and other residents of a country or state. See also civil disobedience and civil right.

Webster's New World Law

Synonyms:

Origin of Civil

From Old French civil, from Latin cīvīlis (“relating to a citizen”), from cīvis (“citizen”).

From Wiktionary
Middle English from Latin cīvīlis from cīvis citizen civic

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition