Civil - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition civil

civil

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[Latin civilis, from civis citizen]
1 : concerning, befitting, or applying to individual citizens or to citizens as a whole [a duty] see also civil right
2 : marked by public order
: peaceable in behavior
3 : of or relating to a legal system based on Roman law as opposed to the English common law see also the Judicial System in the back matter
4 : relating to private rights and to judicial proceedings in connection with them
;esp
: relating to legal matters other than those characterized as criminal [a action] [a infraction]
5 : defined by law
: legal [a disability]
6 : of, relating to, or involving the general public, their activities, needs, ways, or civic affairs as distinguished from special (as military or religious) affairs [the authorities] [the service]
civ·il·ly adv