variants
or British civil defence
: a group of people who are not part of the military but are trained to protect and help people if an enemy attacks their country or if there is a natural disaster (such as a flood or earthquake)
She's in training to be part of the local civil defense.
the head of civil defense
Cite this Entry
“Civil defense.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/civil%20defense. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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