civility

C2+ Topic:Communication

US /səˈvɪləti/ UK /sɪˈvɪlɪti/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech

Even amid the dispute, they maintained a chilly civility.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · formal politeness and... politeness courtesycourteousnessgraciousness cordiality decorum

Opposites

rudenessincivilitydiscourtesy impoliteness

Word family

Forms incivility

Related forms civil civic civilize city

Etymology

From Old French civilite, from Latin civilitas ('the art of government, politeness'), from civilis ('relating to citizens'), from civis ('citizen').

civilitas Latin civis Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# civility

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /səˈvɪləti/
**IPA (UK):** /sɪˈvɪlɪti/

## Meanings
1. formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech

## Examples
- Even amid the dispute, they maintained a chilly civility.

## Synonyms
- politeness
- courtesy
- courteousness
- graciousness
- cordiality
- decorum

## Antonyms
- rudeness
- incivility
- discourtesy
- impoliteness

## Related Forms
- civil
- civic
- civilize
- city

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: civilitas
- Root: civis

## Etymology
From Old French civilite, from Latin civilitas ('the art of government, politeness'), from civilis ('relating to citizens'), from civis ('citizen').

## AI Etymology
Civility is a noun meaning "formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech". Historically, it is from Old French civilite, from Latin civilitas ('the art of government, politeness'), from civilis ('relating to citizens'), from civis ('citizen'). The historical chain links Latin civilitas with Latin civis. Close English family members include civil, civic, civilize, and city. This keeps the modern noun sense tied to the older forms and language sequence behind it.

## Topics
- Communication
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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