English
civil
Civil comes from Middle English cyvyl, from Old French civil, from Latin cīvīlis ‘relating to a citizen’, from cīvis ‘citizen’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱey-reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcīvis‘citizen’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcīvīlis‘relating to a citizen’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400civil
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500cyvyl
- Englishearliest quotation 1593civil
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱey-reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcīvis‘citizen’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcīvīlis‘relating to a citizen’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400civil
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500cyvyl
- Englishearliest quotation 1593civil
Earliest quotation: 1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […]: “Herein thou haſt done good ſeruice to thy country:…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱey- ‘to settle, be lying down’
home, city, hide, cemetery, coma, haunt, hame, ceilidh, 31 more
through Latin ceivis
citadel, civics, civitas, 18 more
through Latin cīvis ‘citizen’
through Latin cīvīlis ‘relating to a citizen’
Today it means
adj Having to do with people and government office as opposed to the military or religion.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱey- / civil