Civil vs. Civilian — What's the Difference?
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Difference Between Civil and Civilian
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Definitions
Civil
Of, relating to, or befitting a citizen or citizens
Civil duties.
Civilian
In general use, a civilian is "a person who is not a member of the police, the armed forces, or a fire department." This use distinguishes from persons whose duties involve risking their lives to protect the public at large from hazardous situations such as terrorism, riots, conflagrations, and wars.Under international humanitarian law, civilians are "persons who are not members of the armed forces" and are not "combatants if they [don't] carry arms openly and respect the laws and customs of war". It is slightly different from a non-combatant, as some non-combatants are not civilians (for example, military chaplains attached to the belligerent party or military personnel serving with a neutral country).
Civil
Of or relating to citizens and their interrelations with one another or with the state
Government agencies concerned with civil affairs.
Civilian
A person who is not an active member of the military, the police, or a belligerent group in a conflict.
Civil
Of ordinary citizens or ordinary community life as distinguished from the military or the ecclesiastical
Married in a civil ceremony at city hall.
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Civilian
A person who is not an employee of the government
Programs available to both government employees and civilians.
Civil
Sufficiently observing or befitting accepted social usages; polite
A civil reply.
Civilian
A specialist in Roman or civil law.
Civil
Being in accordance with or denoting legally recognized divisions of time
A civil year.
Civilian
Of, relating to, or being a civilian or civilians
Civilian clothes.
A civilian career.
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Civil
(Law) Relating to the rights of private individuals and legal proceedings concerning these rights as distinguished from criminal, military, or international regulations or proceedings.
Civilian
A person following the pursuits of civil life, especially one who is not an active member of the armed forces.
Three civilians were apprehended by the soldiers and taken away in a military vehicle.
Civil
(uncomparable) Having to do with people and government office as opposed to the military or religion.
She went into civil service because she wanted to help the people.
Civilian
(informal) A person who does not belong to a particular group or engage in a particular activity, an outsider.
The bathroom was for employees only, so civilians weren't allowed to use it.
Civil
(comparable) Behaving in a reasonable or polite manner.
It was very civil of him to stop the argument.
Civilian
One skilled in civil law.
Civil
(archaic) In a peaceful and well-ordered state.
Civilian
A student of civil law at a university or college.
Civil
(legal) Relating to private relations among citizens, as opposed to criminal matters.
A civil case
Civilian
Not related to the military, police or other governmental professions.
The three detainees were actually army defectors wearing civilian clothing.
He worked as a civilian journalist for ten years before being employed by the public broadcaster.
Civil
Secular.
Civilian
One skilled in the civil law.
Ancient civilians and writers upon government.
Civil
Pertaining to a city or state, or to a citizen in his relations to his fellow citizens or to the state; within the city or state.
Civilian
A student of the civil law at a university or college.
Civil
Subject to government; reduced to order; civilized; not barbarous; - said of the community.
England was very rude and barbarous; for it is but even the other day since England grew civil.
Civilian
One whose pursuits are those of civil life, not military or clerical.
Civil
Performing the duties of a citizen; obedient to government; - said of an individual.
Civil men come nearer the saints of God than others; they come within a step or two of heaven.
Civilian
A nonmilitary citizen
Civil
Having the manners of one dwelling in a city, as opposed to those of savages or rustics; polite; courteous; complaisant; affable.
Civilian
Associated with or performed by civilians as contrasted with the military;
Civilian clothing
Civilian life
Civil
Pertaining to civic life and affairs, in distinction from military, ecclesiastical, or official state.
Civil
Relating to rights and remedies sought by action or suit distinct from criminal proceedings.
Civil
Applying to ordinary citizens;
Civil law
Civil authorities
Civil
Not rude; marked by satisfactory (or especially minimal) adherence to social usages and sufficient but not noteworthy consideration for others;
Even if he didn't like them he should have been civil
Civil
Of or occurring within the state or between or among citizens of the state;
Civil affairs
Civil strife
Civil disobediece
Civil branches of government
Civil
Of or relating to or befitting citizens as individuals;
Civil rights
Civil liberty
Civic duties
Civic pride
Civil
(of divisions of time) legally recognized in ordinary affairs of life;
The civil calendar
A civil day begins at mean midnight
Civil
Of or in a condition of social order;
Civil peoples