civilian
1 of 2noun
ci·vil·ian sə-ˈvil-yən 
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
b
: outsider sense 1
civilian
2 of 2adjective
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
Josh Harkinson
Example Sentences
Noun The bomb injured 12 civilians.
Recent Examples on the Web Rhoda Kwan, NBC News, 29 July 2022 On May 21, a Ukrainian court found a 21-year-old Russian soldier guilty of killing a 62-year-old civilian in the northeastern region of Sumy. Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 June 2022 The sentencing followed two war crimes trials in Ukraine last month that saw three Russian soldiers sentenced to prison, including a 21-year-old who received a life sentence for killing a civilian. Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2022 Lawyers in the war-crimes trial of a Russian tank sergeant who admitted killing a civilian argued over the soldier's intent. WSJ, 21 May 2022 Not every killing of a civilian is a war crime: civilians killed as part of an attack on a military target are collateral damage. Masha Gessen, The New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2022 The motive remains unclear after an armed bystander fatally shot the gunman, police say, in a rare instance of a civilian stopping a mass shooting. James Bikales, Washington Post, 18 July 2022 At the same time fighting continued across Ukraine, where the first war crimes trial of a Russian soldier opened in Kyiv on Friday and Russia blamed Ukrainian shelling for the death of a civilian in a Russian village near the Ukrainian border. Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2022 The second initiative is also a continuation of an existing program, which helps law enforcement agencies that are grappling with a high-profile event, like a controversial killing of a civilian by a police officer. Arkansas Online, 20 Mar. 2022 See More
Noun
Vadim Shyshimarin, 21, was convicted of killing a civilian in May, in the first war crimes trial against a Russian soldier since the conflict began. Rhoda Kwan, NBC News, 29 July 2022 On May 21, a Ukrainian court found a 21-year-old Russian soldier guilty of killing a 62-year-old civilian in the northeastern region of Sumy. Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 June 2022 The sentencing followed two war crimes trials in Ukraine last month that saw three Russian soldiers sentenced to prison, including a 21-year-old who received a life sentence for killing a civilian. Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2022 Lawyers in the war-crimes trial of a Russian tank sergeant who admitted killing a civilian argued over the soldier's intent. WSJ, 21 May 2022 Not every killing of a civilian is a war crime: civilians killed as part of an attack on a military target are collateral damage. Masha Gessen, The New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2022 The motive remains unclear after an armed bystander fatally shot the gunman, police say, in a rare instance of a civilian stopping a mass shooting. James Bikales, Washington Post, 18 July 2022 At the same time fighting continued across Ukraine, where the first war crimes trial of a Russian soldier opened in Kyiv on Friday and Russia blamed Ukrainian shelling for the death of a civilian in a Russian village near the Ukrainian border. Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2022 The second initiative is also a continuation of an existing program, which helps law enforcement agencies that are grappling with a high-profile event, like a controversial killing of a civilian by a police officer. Arkansas Online, 20 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Kids Definition
civilian 1 of 2
noun
ci·vil·ian sə-ˈvil-yən
: a person who is not a member of a military, police, or firefighting force
civilian
2 of 2adjective
: of or relating to people who are not members of a military, police, or firefighting force
After serving in the army, he got a civilian job.
Legal Definition
civilian 1 of 2
noun
ci·vil·ian
: a specialist in Roman or modern civil law
civilian
2 of 2adjective
: of or relating to civil law as distinguished from common law
civilians
noun
as in noncombatants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- noncombatants
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- troops
- military
- soldiers
- armed forces
- service
- servicemen
- color
- soldiery
- servicewomen
- force
- GIs
- men-at-arms
- rank and file
- GI's
- aeroresonator
- aeros
- aerosats
- aeroscepses
- aeroscepsies
- aeroscepsis
- aeroscepsy
- aerose
- aeroshell
- aeroshells
- aerosiderite
- aerosiderolite
- aerosol
- defibrinised
- defibrinises
- defibrinising
- defibrinized
- defibrinizes
- defibrinizing
- deficience
- deficiences
- deficiencies
- deficiency
- deficiency account
- deficiency bill