Meaning & use
Civilian
Last updated
A person who is not a member of the armed forces or the police.
See it in a sentence
The soldiers were ordered to protect civilians during the evacuation.
As a civilian, she had never handled a weapon before joining the reserve unit.
A note on using this word
Also used as an adjective, as in 'civilian life' or 'civilian clothes,' to contrast ordinary life with military service.
Words with a similar meaning
non-combatantlayperson
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
soldiercombatant
Make it your own
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