civil service

noun

: the administrative service of a government or international agency exclusive of the armed forces

especially : one in which appointments are determined by competitive examination

Examples of civil service in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The union went on strike — the first time a civil service union walked off the job — in November 2023. — William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026

Its logic points to the idea that all administration functions—not just independent agencies but possibly also the professional civil service—are an inherent part of the executive power and must be brought under the control of the president. — George Thomas, The Atlantic, 30 June 2026

The office houses a variety of civil services, including the sheriff's office. — David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 June 2026

In her Friday ruling, Thurston acknowledged that the procedure for challenging a termination set out in federal civil service rules leaves probationary employees like Joslin with very limited recourse when a decision goes against them. — ABC News, 14 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1770, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for civil service

• interservice
• disservice
• preservice
• nervous
• nervus

Kids Definition

civil service

noun

: the branch of a government that takes care of the business of running a state but that does not include the lawmaking branch, the military, or the court system