We the People: Civ

The words on this list all share the root civ, from the Latin civis, meaning "citizen."

Work your way through these lists focused on Greek and Latin roots representing people and the social units they form: Gen, Ethn, Dem, Pop, Soc, Civ, Anthrop
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. civilization
    the achievement of an advanced stage of social development
    Since the dawn of civilization, people have been fascinated by the behavior of others, particularly when it is outside of society’s norm. Washington Times (Sep 21, 2015)
    Before civilization became a broad term for an advanced stage of social development for humans or for a specific society, it referred only to the laws that governed the criminal process. These laws limited punishments seen as cruel and barbaric.
  2. civilize
    teach or refine to be sophisticated in taste or judgment
    “I may need civilized company to like you. I’ve made up my mind. It’s off to finishing school with you.” Ella Enchanted
  3. civility
    formal or perfunctory politeness
    Most societies have successfully maintained standards of civility and respect while keeping open avenues for those who are funny, uncivil and offensive. Seattle Times (Jan 10, 2015)
  4. civic
    of or relating to or befitting citizens as individuals
    This lack of regard, or even awareness, of the civic mission of schools is, historically speaking, a sea change. US News (Sep 17, 2015)
  5. civics
    the study of the duties and rights of citizenship
    High school history and civics courses are the first line of defense for preparing children to be engaged and active citizens in the political process. Salon (Aug 5, 2015)
    civis (townsman) + ics (suffix forming names of sciences or disciplines)
    According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, here are some questions that a civics course might explore:
    1) Who has the full rights and obligations of a citizen?
    2) In what communities ought we see ourselves as citizens?
    3) What responsibilities does a citizen of each kind of community have?
  6. civilian
    a nonmilitary citizen
    Soldiers and civilians were streaming away from the road in all directions. Atonement
    A civilian used to be a judge or authority on civil law. Later, a civilian was anyone who was not a soldier. As an adjective, the word can describe anything relating to a nonmilitary citizen.
  7. civil liberty
    freedom from arbitrary governmental interence
    Understanding this history of immigration restriction and civil liberties violations is critical to the current debate over birthright citizenship. US News (Aug 25, 2015)
  8. civil service
    the government workforce exclusive of military service
    A modern civil service system did not emerge until much later, under the administration of President Theodore Roosevelt. Washington Times (Sep 29, 2015)
  9. civil suit
    a lawsuit alleging violations of civil law by the defendant
    A civil suit that leads to a settlement or court order, therefore, could ultimately be more important than a criminal prosecution. Slate (Nov 26, 2014)
    The legal sense of a suit was first used in the 14th century, and this meaning came before the sense of "a set of clothes."
  10. uncivilized
    without civilizing influences
    Philosophers and anthropologists have studied the question as a way of assessing human nature in its most raw and uncivilized form. Washington Post (Jul 9, 2015)
Created on Wed Sep 30 15:43:54 EDT 2015 (updated Mon Aug 26 15:43:34 EDT 2019)

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