Dictionary

civilian en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• [sɪˈvɪl.jn̩]
• /sɪˈvɪl.jən/

Etymology

From Middle English cyvylien, from Old French civilien. Equivalent to civil + -ian.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Not related to the military, police or other governmental professions.
   • The three detainees were actually army defectors wearing civilian clothing.
   • He worked as a civilian journalist for ten years before being employed by the public broadcaster.

Deriveds

civilianness · civilianise · civilian service · noncivilian · civilianization · civilianize · civilianism · civilian time

Translations (56)

bg гра́ждански (not related to the military armed forces) · tr sivil (not related to the military armed forces) · da civil (not related to the military armed forces) · bg циви́лен (not related to the military armed forces) · de zivil (not related to the military armed forces) · hu civil (not related to the military armed forces) · ar مَدَنِيّ (not related to the military armed forces) · it civile (not related to the military armed forces) · ro civil (not related to the military armed forces) · sk civilný (not related to the military armed forces) · tg ғайринизомӣ (not related to the military armed forces) · ja 民間 (not related to the military armed forces) · sq civil (not related to the military armed forces) · hi नागरिक (not related to the military armed forces) · hy քաղաքացիական (not related to the military armed forces) · km ស៊ីវិល (not related to the military armed forces) · pl cywilny (not related to the military armed forces) · he אֶזְרָחִי (not related to the military armed forces) · et tsiviil- (not related to the military armed forces) · ks سِوَل (not related to the military armed forces) · ja 市民の (not related to the military armed forces) · tg ғайриҳарбӣ (not related to the military armed forces) · be цыві́льны (not related to the military armed forces) · ca civil (not related to the military armed forces) · tg гражданӣ (not related to the military armed forces) · mk цивилен (not related to the military armed forces) · kk жай (not related to the military armed forces) · uk циві́льний (not related to the military armed forces) · fi siviili- (not related to the military armed forces) · is borgaralegur (not related to the military armed forces) · pt civil (not related to the military armed forces) · sh cìvīlnī (not related to the military armed forces) · ru шта́тский (not related to the military armed forces) · sv civil (not related to the military armed forces) · ru гражда́нский (not related to the military armed forces) · ko 민간의 (not related to the military armed forces) · fa مدنی (not related to the military armed forces) · hu polgári (not related to the military armed forces) · nl burger- (not related to the military armed forces) · hi सिविल (not related to the military armed forces) · sl civilen (not related to the military armed forces) · sh цѝвӣлнӣ (not related to the military armed forces) · gd sìobhalta (not related to the military armed forces) · nl civiel (not related to the military armed forces) · lt civilinis (not related to the military armed forces) · lv civils (not related to the military armed forces) · nb sivil (not related to the military armed forces) · ru циви́льный (not related to the military armed forces) · fur civîl (not related to the military armed forces) · uk шта́тський (not related to the military armed forces) · es civil (not related to the military armed forces) · cs civilní (not related to the military armed forces) · fr civil (not related to the military armed forces) · my အရပ် (not related to the military armed forces) · ka სამოქალაქო (not related to the military armed forces) · fa غیرنظامی (not related to the military armed forces)

civilian en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• [sɪˈvɪl.jn̩]
• /sɪˈvɪl.jən/

Etymology

From Middle English cyvylien, from Old French civilien. Equivalent to civil + -ian.

Meanings

1. A person following the pursuits of civil life, especially one who is not an active member of the armed forces.
   • An army never can be commanded or controlled by civilians. 1858, Prince George, letter to Sir Colin Campbell
   • Three civilians were apprehended by the soldiers and taken away in a military vehicle.
2. (informal) A person who does not belong to a particular group or engage in a particular activity, an outsider.
   • I have this vision one day that I'll walk amongst you a regular civilian. 2013, Eminem, “The Monster”, in The Marshall Mathers LP 2:
   • The bathroom was for employees only, so civilians weren't allowed to use it.
3. One skilled in civil law.
   • Ancient civilians and writers upon government. 1724, Jonathan Swift, “Drapier's Letters”, in 4:
4. A student of civil law at a university or college.
   • although he kept his name in the college books, and changed his commoner gown to that of a civilian, yet he had now, I believe, no thoughts of proceeding to any degree; and seldom resided in college any more 1788, Richard Graves, Recollection of Some Particulars in the Life of the Late William Shenstone:
5. (slang) A person not affiliated with a gang.
6. (Indian-English) An employee of the civil service.

Forms

Translations (97)

mk цивил (non-military person) · az dinc sakin (non-military person) · tr sivil (non-military person) · tg шахси ғайринизомӣ (non-military person) · ms orang awam (non-military person) · sh civìlistkinja (non-military person) · bg циви́лно лице́ (non-military person) · ru шта́тский (non-military person) · cmn 平民 (non-military person) · de Zivilist (non-military person) · yue 平民 (non-military person) · sh civìlist (non-military person) · ka სამოქალაქო პირი (non-military person) · sk civilistka (non-military person) · sv civilist (non-military person) · ar مَدَنِيَّة (non-military person) · cs civilistka (non-military person) · ja 文民 (non-military person) · nb sivilist (non-military person) · tg шахси гражданӣ (non-military person) · ru ми́рная жи́тельница (non-military person) · lt civilis (non-military person) · sh грађанска особа (non-military person) · ms orang periman (non-military person) · bg гра́жданско лице (non-military person) · nn sivilist (non-military person) · vi dân thường (non-military person) · sq civil (non-military person) · bg мирен жител (non-military person) · pl cywil (non-military person) · nl burger (non-military person) · be цыві́льная асо́ба (non-military person) · he אֶזְרָח (non-military person) · ks سِوَل (non-military person) · ru ми́рный жи́тель (non-military person) · lo ພໍ່ເຮືອນ (non-military person) · ko 민간인 (non-military person) · km ជនស៊ីវិល (non-military person) · sh civilistica (non-military person) · sh građanska osoba (non-military person) · ar مَدَنِيّ (non-military person) · hu civil (non-military person) · bg мирна жителка (non-military person) · uk циві́льна люди́на (non-military person) · el πολίτης (non-military person) · fr civile (non-military person) · es paisano (non-military person) · lo ພົນລະເຮືອນ (non-military person) · ru гражда́нский (non-military person) · et eraisik (non-military person) · sh cìvīl (non-military person) · uk циві́льна осо́ба (non-military person) · hi नागरिक (non-military person) · hu polgári személy (non-military person) · sh цивилистица (non-military person) · et tsivilist (non-military person) · th พลเรือน (non-military person) · my အရပ်သား (non-military person) · cs civilista (non-military person) · lv civilists (non-military person) · hu civil személy (non-military person) · bg циви́лен (non-military person) · fa-ira غِیْرِنِظامی (non-military person) · es civil (non-military person) · lv civiliste (non-military person) · pt civil (non-military person) · vi người thường (non-military person) · fa-ira شَخْصِ غِیْرِنِظامی (non-military person) · tg ғайринизомӣ (non-military person) · km អយោធ (non-military person) · sl civilist (non-military person) · ru гражда́нское лицо́ (non-military person) · sv civil (non-military person) · ro civil (non-military person) · be цыві́льны чалаве́к (non-military person) · ro civilă (non-military person) · sh цивѝлисткиња (non-military person) · eo civilulo (non-military person) · fr civil (non-military person) · da civilist (non-military person) · sh цѝвӣл (non-military person) · mn иргэн (non-military person) · sl civilistka (non-military person) · de Zivilperson (non-military person) · fi siviili (non-military person) · uk циві́льний (non-military person) · ca paisà (non-military person) · it civile (non-military person) · sk civilista (non-military person) · de Zivilistin (non-military person) · ja 民間人 (non-military person) · sh цивѝлист (non-military person) · ga sibhialtach (non-military person) · he אֶזְרָחִית (non-military person) · vi thường dân (non-military person) · ru гражда́нский челове́к (non-military person) · lt civilisė (non-military person)