civility

noun

ci·​vil·​i·​ty sə-ˈvi-lə-tē 

plural civilities

1

a

: civilized conduct

especially : courtesy, politeness

bemoaned the decline of civility in our politics

b

: a polite act or expression

… lacked the little civilities and hypocrisies of political society …

—Roy Jenkins

The men briefly exchanged civilities before the meeting began.

2

archaic : training in the humanities

Synonyms of civility

• courtesy
• gesture
• politeness
• manners

Examples of civility in a Sentence

They greeted each other with the usual exchange of civilities.

after the usual civilities, the parents and the principal had a serious talk about the boy

Recent Examples on the Web

The back-and-forth prompted Steiner to send a letter denying Hawley’s claims and chiding him for a lack of civility. — Jack Harvel july 2, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026

The argument that the book makes is that, again, courage and civility -- only courage and civility will save us. — ABC News, 28 June 2026

Beginning in her early teens, Joyce loved watching Kirk’s debates on Instagram, seeing in them not carefully honed rhetorical tactics but authentic civility. — Eliza Griswold, New Yorker, 22 June 2026

There were some nods in the direction of a more old-fashioned political civility Wednesday night. — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 18 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

see civil

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for civility

• ability
• agility
• debility
• docility
• ductility
• facility
• fertility
• fragility
• futility
• gentility
• hostility
• humility

Kids Definition

civility

noun

ci·​vil·​i·​ty sə-ˈvil-ət-ē 

plural civilities

1

: civilized conduct

especially : courtesy sense 1, politeness

2

: a polite act or expression