civil
gb/sˈɪvəl/ us/sˈɪvəl/
B1
English
~ 1200
udvarias, udvariasság, polgári, civil, állampolgári, polgári jogi, polgárháborús, belső
B1
1
udvarias
A2
udvariasság
B1
Usage pattern:
[someone] is civil to [someone]
Even during the heated debate, both sides remained civil.
Még a heves vita közben is mindkét fél udvarias maradt.
Please try to be civil when addressing the committee.
Kérem, próbáljon udvarias lenni, amikor a bizottsághoz szól.
They had a civil exchange despite their differences.
She managed to stay civil, even though she was upset.
Learner examples
He was civil to his neighbor.
Udvarias volt a szomszédjával.
They spoke in a civil way.
Udvariasan beszéltek.
She is always civil to her teachers.
We had a civil talk about the problem.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'civil' with 'civic'. 'Civil' means polite or relating to citizens, while 'civic' relates to duties or activities of a city or community.
Meaning
Polite and respectful
Collocations
civil conversation
|civil tone
|remain civil
|civil exchange
Synonyms
courteous (Slightly more formal; emphasizes manners and etiquette.)
Antonyms
rude (Shows a lack of politeness or respect.)
Themes
social
|communication
|behavior
|relationships
Definition
Acting in a polite and kind way to other people.
Behaving in a polite, respectful, and considerate way toward others.
B2
2
Usage pattern:
civil [noun]
The new law aims to protect civil rights.
Az új törvény célja az állampolgári jogok védelme.
Civil society plays an important role in democracy.
A civil társadalom fontos szerepet játszik a demokráciában.
He studied civil law at university.
Civil unrest broke out after the election results.
Learner examples
Civil rights are important for everyone.
Az állampolgári jogok mindenki számára fontosak.
Civil law is different from criminal law.
A polgári jog különbözik a büntetőjogtól.
There were protests during the civil unrest.
Civil society helps improve the country.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'civil' when they mean 'civic' for duties like voting; 'civil' here is broader and includes legal and societal matters.
Meaning
Relating to citizens
Collocations
civil rights
|civil society
|civil law
|civil unrest
Synonyms
civic (Often used for duties or responsibilities of citizens; overlaps in some contexts.)
Antonyms
military (Relating to armed forces rather than ordinary citizens.)
Themes
law
|government
|society
|politics
Definition
About the people of a country and their lives, not the army or religion.
Concerning the people of a country and their rights, organization, and affairs, as distinct from the military or religious matters.
B2
TECHNICAL
3
polgári jogi
C1
polgári
B2
Usage pattern:
civil [case/matter/dispute]
The company faced a civil lawsuit over breach of contract.
Szerződésszegés miatt polgári pert indítottak a cég ellen.
She filed a civil case against her landlord.
Polgári pert indított a bérbeadója ellen.
Civil liability can result in payment of damages.
The dispute will be settled in civil court.
Learner examples
They had a civil case about money.
Pénz miatt volt egy polgári perük.
He went to civil court for the problem.
Polgári ügyben fordult bírósághoz a probléma miatt.
A civil lawsuit is not about crime.
She has civil liability for the damage.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'civil law' (private law) with 'common law' or with criminal law; 'civil' here is about non-criminal disputes.
Meaning
Relating to private law cases
Collocations
civil case
|civil court
|civil liability
|civil dispute
Synonyms
non-criminal (Plain description focusing on absence of criminal nature.)
Antonyms
criminal (Relating to crimes and their prosecution.)
Themes
law
|business
Definition
About legal cases between people or companies, not about crimes.
Relating to legal cases involving the rights and duties of individuals or organizations, rather than criminal offenses.
B1
4
belső
A2
Usage pattern:
civil [war/conflict/strife]
The nation was torn apart by civil war.
A nemzetet polgárháború szakította szét.
Civil conflict lasted for over a decade.
A belső konfliktus több mint egy évtizedig tartott.
The peace treaty ended years of civil strife.
Learner examples
The country had a civil war.
Az országban polgárháború volt.
Civil conflict is very bad for people.
A belső konfliktus nagyon rossz hatással van az emberekre.
They want to stop the civil strife.
Meaning
Within one country
Collocations
civil war
|civil conflict
|civil strife
Synonyms
internal (General term for something happening within an entity or country.)
Antonyms
international (Involving more than one country.)
Themes
history
|politics
|law
Definition
Happening between groups in the same country.
Happening among the people of a single country, especially referring to war or conflict between different groups inside it.
Grammar
Dictionary form
civil
IPA
GB/sˈɪvəl/
US/sˈɪvəl/
Syllables & stress
civil (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (civil)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: civil
- Comparative: civiller
- Superlative: civillest
Word family
Forms
civiller
adjective
civillest
adjective
Core family
Negative and opposite forms
uncivil
adjective
uncivilized
adjective
Advanced or less common
civilly
adverb
incivility
noun
Highlights
- Irregular comparative: civiller Adjective
- Irregular superlative: civillest Adjective
Expressions
civil liberties
1/sˈɪvəl lˈɪbɚtiz/
fixed phrase
Basic freedoms protected by law
The basic freedoms that people have, which are protected by law.
Examples
- Freedom of speech is one of our civil liberties.
- Civil liberties must be protected even in times of crisis.
civil rights
1/sˈɪvəl ɹˈaɪts/
fixed phrase
Rights ensuring freedom and equality
The basic rights that all citizens should have, like freedom and equal treatment.
Examples
- The movement fought for civil rights in the 1960s.
- Civil rights are protected by law.
civil society
1/sˈɪvəl səsˈaɪəti/
fixed phrase
formal
Non-government citizen groups and institutions
Groups and organizations run by people, not the government, that help with public life.
Examples
- Civil society plays a key role in promoting democracy.
- Strong civil society can hold leaders accountable.
civil war
1/sˈɪvəl wˈɔɹ/
fixed phrase
War inside one country
A war between different groups in the same country.
Examples
- The Civil War in the United States lasted four years.
- A brutal civil war destroyed much of the nation.