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Definition of civility

civility

/sɪˈvɪl.ə.ti/
ci · vil · i · ty
Adverb:civilly
•
Plural:civilities
•
Adjective:civil
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civility Lexical Profile

civility Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech.

Example

"Despite their strong political disagreements, the candidates maintained an atmosphere of mutual civility throughout the debate."

2

Polite remarks or conventional expressions of courtesy exchanged in social interaction (usually used in the plural).

Example

"After exchanging a few brief civilities in the lobby, the negotiators proceeded directly to the conference room."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for civility
Antonyms
View all antonyms for civility

• Rhymes for civility

• Nearby Words

civics
civil
civilian
civility
civilization
civilizational
civilize

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Old French civilite, from Latin civilitas ('the art of government, politics, or courtesy'), derived from civilis ('relating to a citizen') and civis ('citizen').

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Civility. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/civility
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