civilian

1 of 2

noun

ci·​vil·​ian sə-ˈvil-yən How to pronounce civilian (audio)
 also  -ˈvi-yən
1
: a specialist in Roman or modern civil law
2
a
: one not on active duty in the armed services or not on a police or firefighting force

civilian

2 of 2

adjective

1
a
: of, relating to, or made up of civilians
civilian concerns/demands
the civilian population
civilian customers/casualties
The Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom are the highest civilian honors in the United States.
b
: having the status of a civilian
a civilian pilot
2
: operated or controlled by civilians
civilian industry
: possessed by or vested in civilians
civilian authority
3
: intended or suited for use or consumption by civilians
civilian goods
With twin 2,520-horsepower engines and up to 19 seats, the Sikorsky S-92 is among the world's most powerful civilian helicopters.Josh Harkinson

Examples of civilian in a Sentence

Noun The bomb injured 12 civilians.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Hundreds of civilians sheltering in the theatre in Mariupol were killed in March 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. Lorne Cook, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2025 The disarmament ceremony signaled an end to the armed conflict between the PKK and Turkey, one that has killed around 40,000 militants, soldiers, and civilians since 1984. Ragip Soylu, Time, 18 July 2025
Adjective
The escalation comes amid growing international alarm over mounting civilian casualties after dozens of Palestinians seeking aid were killed Sunday in one of the deadliest incidents since Israel introduced a new humanitarian delivery system in late May. Callum Sutherland, Time, 21 July 2025 The practice of military aircraft flying in civilian airspace, particularly for drills and other non-combat missions, without ADS-B out turned on has been under scrutiny since a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet over the Potomac River earlier this year. Eve Chen, USA Today, 21 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for civilian

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of civilian was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Civilian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civilian. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

civilian

noun
ci·​vil·​ian sə-ˈvil-yən How to pronounce civilian (audio)
: a person not on active duty in the armed services or not on a police or firefighting force
civilian adjective

Legal Definition

civilian

1 of 2 noun
ci·​vil·​ian
: a specialist in Roman or modern civil law

civilian

2 of 2 adjective
: of or relating to civil law as distinguished from common law
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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