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
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 HarkinsonExamples of civilian in a Sentence
Noun
The bomb injured 12 civilians.
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Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Shots fired in San Bernardino, spike strips in Van Nuys, and clashes in Santa Ana highlight a rise in confrontations between immigration agents and civilians — a trend experts warn is intensifying across Southern California.
—Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
According to photographs published by Reuters, at least one armed MQ-9 Reaper drone has also been located at a civilian airport in Puerto Rico.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2025
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Noun
Most of the city's 2 million population has been displaced multiple times in the past 22 months, following Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023, which claimed the lives of about 1,200 people—most of them civilians—and saw 250 people taken hostage.
—Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Shots fired in San Bernardino, spike strips in Van Nuys, and clashes in Santa Ana highlight a rise in confrontations between immigration agents and civilians — a trend experts warn is intensifying across Southern California.
—Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
There is a growing movement spanning politics, diplomacy, business, culture, and sports to isolate Israel and pile pressure on it to end its war against the militant group Hamas in Gaza, a conflict that has taken a huge toll on the civilian population in the enclave.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
According to photographs published by Reuters, at least one armed MQ-9 Reaper drone has also been located at a civilian airport in Puerto Rico.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civilian
Cite this Entry
“Civilian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civilian. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
civilian
noun
ci·vil·ian
sə-ˈvil-yən
: a person not on active duty in the armed services or not on a police or firefighting force
civilian
adjective
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