Civil vs. Civilian — What's the Difference?

Of, relating to, or befitting a citizen or citizens

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).

Of or relating to citizens and their interrelations with one another or with the state

A person who is not an active member of the military, the police, or a belligerent group in a conflict.

Of ordinary citizens or ordinary community life as distinguished from the military or the ecclesiastical

A person who is not an employee of the government

Sufficiently observing or befitting accepted social usages; polite

A specialist in Roman or civil law.

Being in accordance with or denoting legally recognized divisions of time

Of, relating to, or being a civilian or civilians

(Law) Relating to the rights of private individuals and legal proceedings concerning these rights as distinguished from criminal, military, or international regulations or proceedings.

A person following the pursuits of civil life, especially one who is not an active member of the armed forces.

(uncomparable) Having to do with people and government office as opposed to the military or religion.

(informal) A person who does not belong to a particular group or engage in a particular activity, an outsider.

(comparable) Behaving in a reasonable or polite manner.

One skilled in civil law.

(archaic) In a peaceful and well-ordered state.

A student of civil law at a university or college.

(legal) Relating to private relations among citizens, as opposed to criminal matters.

Not related to the military, police or other governmental professions.

Secular.

One skilled in the civil law.

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.

A student of the civil law at a university or college.

Subject to government; reduced to order; civilized; not barbarous; - said of the community.

One whose pursuits are those of civil life, not military or clerical.

Performing the duties of a citizen; obedient to government; - said of an individual.

A nonmilitary citizen

Having the manners of one dwelling in a city, as opposed to those of savages or rustics; polite; courteous; complaisant; affable.

Associated with or performed by civilians as contrasted with the military;

Pertaining to civic life and affairs, in distinction from military, ecclesiastical, or official state.

Relating to rights and remedies sought by action or suit distinct from criminal proceedings.

Applying to ordinary citizens;

Not rude; marked by satisfactory (or especially minimal) adherence to social usages and sufficient but not noteworthy consideration for others;

Of or occurring within the state or between or among citizens of the state;

Of or relating to or befitting citizens as individuals;

(of divisions of time) legally recognized in ordinary affairs of life;

Of or in a condition of social order;