Wordiyociv
LatinVariants
Related Roots
About This Root
From Latin civis (citizen) and civitas (city, community of citizens, state). The backbone of political vocabulary — citizen (member of a city/state), city (the community), civic (relating to citizens), civil (of citizens, later meaning polite), civilization (the state of being civilized), and civility (citizen-like politeness). Civil can mean both 'public' and 'courteous'.
Associated Words
citadel
A strong fortress above a city; a secure stronghold
cities
Plural of city; large urban settlements
citizen
A legally recognized member of a country; a resident of a city
city
A large settlement, bigger than a town; sometimes with a specific legal definition, depending on the place
civic
Relating to a city or the duties of citizenship
civil
Relating to citizens or government; polite in manner
civilian
A person not in the military or police; relating to ordinary citizens
civility
Polite and courteous behaviour; a polite act
civilization
An advanced society with developed culture and institutions
civilize
To educate or develop a person or society to a higher cultural standard