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adj Common

civic

SIH-vihk

Civic (adj) means relating to a city, a citizen, or citizenship; municipal or civil in nature. Example: “The mayor cut the ribbon at the new civic centre.”

adj
1
Relating to a city, a citizen, or citizenship; municipal or civil in nature.
"The mayor cut the ribbon at the new civic centre."
"Voting is often described as a civic duty."
2
Relating to good citizenship and the responsibilities that come with it.
"Schools try to teach civic values like respect and responsibility."

How to use civic

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo do with a city, its citizens, or the responsibilities of being one.

Easily confused with
Common pairings
civic duty civic pride civic centre civic responsibility

Word forms

more civic comparative, most civic superlative

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The mayor cut the ribbon at the new _____ centre.

Etymology

From Latin civicus, "pertaining to a city or its citizens."

Origin: Latin

Related words

Frequently asked questions

What does “civic” mean?

The word “civic” means relating to a city, a citizen, or citizenship; municipal or civil in nature. In plain terms, to do with a city, its citizens, or the responsibilities of being one.

How do you pronounce “civic”?

“Civic” is pronounced SIH-vihk (/ˈsɪvɪk/ in IPA).

How do you use “civic” in a sentence?

Here is “civic” used in a sentence: “The mayor cut the ribbon at the new civic centre.”

What part of speech is “civic”?

“Civic” is an adjective.

Where does the word “civic” come from?

The word “civic” comes from Latin. From Latin civicus, "pertaining to a city or its citizens.".

Is “civic” a common word?

“Civic” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “civic” have?

“Civic” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to a city, a citizen, or citizenship; municipal or civil in nature.

What is the difference between civic and civil?

Civic relates to a city, its citizens, or citizenship — civic buildings, civic duty, civic pride. Civil relates to citizens in general, to politeness (a civil reply), or to non-criminal law (civil court). Where civic points to community and municipal life, civil points to society, courtesy, or the legal sphere.

What is the difference between civic and civics?

Civic is an adjective meaning relating to a city, citizens, or citizenship. Civics, with an s, is a noun naming the study of citizens' rights and responsibilities, taught as a school subject mainly in the United States. So you show civic pride but study civics.

What are common collocations with civic?

Frequent pairings include civic duty, civic pride, civic engagement, civic center, civic leader, and civic responsibility. In each, civic signals a connection to the city or to citizenship. British English also uses civic centre for a complex of municipal buildings.

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