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civility

English · Thesaurus

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civility

  • /sɪˈvɪl.ɪ.ti/
  • [sɪˈvɪl.ɪ.tʰɪi̯]
  • /sɪˈvɪl.ɪ.ɾi/
  • [sɪˈvɪl.ɪ.ɾɪi̯]

Where it comes from

Borrowed from Latin civilitas: compare French civilité. English equivalent civil + -ity.

noun civilities

  1. countable, uncountable Speech or behaviour that is fit for civil interactions; politeness, courtesy. This is an exact Inventory of what we found about the Body of the Man-Mountain, who uſed us with great Civility, and due Reſpect to your Majeſty's Commiſſion.
  2. countable, in plural, uncountable An individual act or expression of polite behaviour; a courtesy. Mr Lovelace received from every one those civilities which were due to his birth […]
  3. archaic, countable, uncountable The state or fact of being civilized; civilization. Monarchies have risen from barbarism to civility, and fallen again to ruin.
  4. countable, obsolete, uncountable A civil office; a civil capacity. For what an enormity is this in a chriſtian realme to ſerue in a ciuility, hauinge the profyt of a Prouoſtſhip and a Deanrye, and a Perſonage? But I wil tel you what is lyke to come of it. It wil bring the clergy ſhortly into a very ſlauery.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: politeness, comity, courtesy, courteousness, citizenship, civilization, vanity, prefix, civilisation, civillity, politesse, polite society, propriety, mannerliness, social grace, civil tongue

Translations

Every language

noun politeness; behavior which conforms to social conventions

Españolcivismo, civilidad, urbanidad
中文文明 wénmíng, 素質 /素质 sùzhì
Portuguêscivilidade
Françaispolitesse
DeutschAnstand, Höflichkeit, Verbindlichkeit
Italianociviltà
Românăcivilitate, politețe, curtenie
Русскийве́жливость véžlivostʹ, учти́вость učtívostʹ, любе́зность ljubéznostʹ
العربيةأَدَب ʔadab

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Cite this
MLA

"civility." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/civility. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

civility. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/civility

Chicago

"civility." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/civility.

BibTeX
@misc{civility_2026,
  title = {civility},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/civility},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}