civility
noun
ci·vil·i·ty
sə-ˈvi-lə-tē 
plural civilities
1
a
: civilized conduct
b
: a polite act or expression
… lacked the little civilities and hypocrisies of political society …—
Roy Jenkins
Roy JenkinsThe 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
The potential for combustion was always present, the end of civility always near.
—Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
While news outlets attempt to maintain civility in comment sections by various forms of moderation and by articulating policies of acceptable speech, moderating comments itself is a labor-intensive endeavor, and not all news outlets want to or can dedicate the necessary amount of resources to it.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Apr. 2026
When civility becomes the standard rather than the exception.
—Denise Horland, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
Catholic social teaching likewise calls us to uphold the dignity of every person and to engage in public life with civility and respect.
—Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for civility
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Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
While news outlets attempt to maintain civility in comment sections by various forms of moderation and by articulating policies of acceptable speech, moderating comments itself is a labor-intensive endeavor, and not all news outlets want to or can dedicate the necessary amount of resources to it.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Apr. 2026
When civility becomes the standard rather than the exception.
—Denise Horland, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
Catholic social teaching likewise calls us to uphold the dignity of every person and to engage in public life with civility and respect.
—Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for civility
Cite this Entry
“Civility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civility. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
civility
noun
ci·vil·i·ty
sə-ˈvil-ət-ē
plural civilities
1
: civilized conduct
especially
: courtesy sense 1, politeness
2
: a polite act or expression
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