civilian

/'siviljən/

Thân thiện

A civilian woman walks her dog in the park.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • A person who is not a member of the military or police forces: A civilian is an ordinary citizen who is not serving in an armed service or law enforcement capacity.
   • A person not on active duty in a military, police, or firefighting force: This term distinguishes non-combatants from those in uniformed services.

2. Adjective:

   • Relating to civilians or ordinary citizens, not military or religious: Describes things pertaining to the life, activities, or status of non-military persons.
   • Not belonging to or characteristic of the armed services: Used to describe objects, clothing, or contexts separate from the military sphere.

Examples

• Noun:

  • The new policy aims to protect civilians during conflicts.
  • As a civilian, he works as a teacher in the local school.

• Adjective:

  • He changed into civilian clothes after leaving the army.
  • The area was returned to civilian control after the war.

Advanced Usage

• "Civilian population": The general public who are not members of the military.

  • The bombing caused significant casualties among the civilian population.

• "In a civilian capacity": Performing a role or job as an ordinary citizen, not as a member of the military.

  • She visited the country in a civilian capacity as a diplomat.

• "Civilian oversight": The supervision of police or military activities by non-military authorities or the public.

  • The committee provides civilian oversight of the police department.

Variants and Related Words

• Civilianize (verb): To convert something (e.g., a position, an industry) from military to civilian control or use.

  • The government plans to civilianize certain administrative roles.

• Civilianization (noun): The process of making something civilian.

  • The civilianization of the airport was completed last year.

Synonyms

• Noncombatant (noun): A person who is not engaged in fighting during a war, especially a civilian, chaplain, or medic.
• Private citizen (noun): An individual not holding public office or a military position.

Antonyms

• Military personnel (noun): Members of the armed forces.
• Combatant (noun): A person or nation engaged in fighting during a war.

Related Phrases

• Return to civilian life: The process of a soldier leaving the military and reintegrating into ordinary society.

  • After his service, he found it challenging to return to civilian life.

• Civilian casualty: A non-military person killed or injured in a war or military operation.

  • The report highlighted the high number of civilian casualties.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. associated with civil life or performed by persons who are not active members of the military
   • civilian clothing
   • civilian life

Noun

1. a nonmilitary citizen