civil

Meaning

Adjective

• Having to do with people and government office as opposed to the military or religion.
• Behaving in a reasonable or polite manner.
• Relating to private relations among citizens, as opposed to criminal matters.
• Secular.

Origin

• From Middle English cyvyl, civil, borrowed from Old French civil, from Latin cīvīlis, from cīvis. Cognate with Old English hīwen, hīrǣden. More at hind#Etymology 3; hird. Doublet of civic.