Civil
/ˈsɪv.əl/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjHaving to do with people and government office as opposed to the military or religion.
adjBehaving in a reasonable or polite manner; avoiding displays of hostility.
Sentence Examples
The novel is centered on the Civil War.
We cannot rule out the possibility that civil war will break out in that country.
Every citizen has a duty to respect civil rights and laws.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ war devastated the nation, dividing families and towns.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The country was torn apart by a long and very bloody ____ war.
Word Origin & History
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. (polite): Compare typologically urbane (<< Latin urbs), courteous (akin to court).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"A third is wroth: ‘Is this an hour
For private sorrow’s barren song,
When more and more the people throng
The chairs and thrones of civil power?’"
— 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXI”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 35:
"Herein thou haſt done good ſeruice to thy country:
VVere all inhumaine ſlaues ſo ſerued as he,
England would be ciuill, and from all ſuch dealings free."
— 1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], →OCLC, Act I:
"As if our Saviour had said, No man can enter into heaven except he be born again; so as he speaketh not only of notorious Sinners, as Adulterers, Drunkards, Swearers, & c. but of all who are in their natural condition, tho' they live never so unblameably, free from scandalous sins, if they be not born again, their civil Righteousness will do them little good, for they shall never see the Kingdom of God."
— 1680, A Practical Discourse of Regeneration:
"The word from which "evil" in Romans 13.4 is translated means "generally opposed to civil goodness or virtue, in a commonwealth, and not to spiritual good, or religion, in the church."
— 2008, Jerald Finney, God Betrayed, →ISBN, page 174:
"Some grammarians explain this passage as referring to a civil sanctity, in respect of the children being reckoned legitimate, but in this respect the condition of unbelievers is in no degree worse."
— 2013, John Calvin, Calvin's Complete Commentary, Volume 7: Acts to Ephesians:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ war devastated the nation, dividing families and towns.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The country was torn apart by a long and very bloody ____ war.