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

Ultra-Orthodox parties Eisenkot also says that any party that joins him must support mandatory military service or civil service. — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026

Eisenkot also says that any party that joins him must support mandatory military service or civil service. — ABC News, 8 Nov. 2026

On most summer weekends, East Potomac Park was crowded with working-class families, many including someone employed in federal civil service, engaged in various forms of recreation at this fabulous park that sits on the Potomac. — Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026

The order affects about 108,000 state workers statewide, with about 40% of the state’s civil service workforce working in the capital region. — Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 29 Sep. 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