civility

noun

ci·​vil·​i·​ty sə-ˈvi-lə-tē How to pronounce civility (audio)
plural civilities
1
a
: civilized conduct
especially : courtesy, politeness
bemoaned the decline of civility in our politics
b
: a polite act or expression
lacked the little civilities and hypocrisies of political societyRoy Jenkins
The men briefly exchanged civilities before the meeting began.
2
archaic : training in the humanities

Examples of civility in a Sentence

They greeted each other with the usual exchange of civilities. after the usual civilities, the parents and the principal had a serious talk about the boy
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Tuesday night's face-off, a rare showing of civility in today's political climate, served as a throwback to an era when debates featured extended clashes over policy stances. Sara Fischer, Axios, 2 Oct. 2024 Foster energy, giving and thoughtfulness to create civility throughout. Kinga Vajda, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024 But this secret weapon for civility is biologically hardwired. Jon Lapook, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2024 When a dialogue is approached with civility, connecting and finding common ground to ease unpleasant feelings becomes much more likely. Laurel Donnellan, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for civility 

Word History

Etymology

see civil

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of civility was in 1533

Dictionary Entries Near civility

Cite this Entry

“Civility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civility. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

civility

noun
ci·​vil·​i·​ty sə-ˈvil-ət-ē How to pronounce civility (audio)
plural civilities
1
: civilized conduct
2
: a polite act or expression

More from Merriam-Webster on civility

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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