3 definitions found
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
civility
noun
1: formal or perfunctory politeness [ant: {incivility}]
2: the act of showing regard for others [syn: {politeness}]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Civility \Ci*vil"i*ty\, noun; pl. {Civilities}. [L. civilitas: cf.
F. civilit['e]. See {Civil}.]
1. The state of society in which the relations and duties of
a citizen are recognized and obeyed; a state of
civilization. [Obs.]
Monarchies have risen from barbarrism to civility,
and fallen again to ruin. --Sir J.
Davies.
The gradual depature of all deeper signification
from the word civility has obliged the creation of
another word -- civilization. --Trench.
2. A civil office, or a civil process [Obs.]
To serve in a civility. --Latimer.
3. Courtesy; politeness; kind attention; good breeding; a
polite act or expression.
The insolent civility of a proud man is, if
possible, more shocking than his rudeness could be.
--Chesterfield.
The sweet civilities of life. --Dryden.
Syn: Urbanity; affability; complaisance.
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
119 Moby Thesaurus words for "civility":
acculturation, act of courtesy, affability, agreeableness,
amenities, amenity, amiability, appropriateness, attention,
becomingness, bienseance, ceremonies, civilities, civilization,
clubbability, clubbishness, clubbism, comity, communicativeness,
companionability, compatibility, complaisance, conformity,
congeniality, considerateness, consideration, convenance,
convention, conventional usage, conventionalism, conventionality,
cordiality, correctness, courteousness, courtesy, courtliness,
cultivation, culture, custom, decencies, decency, decorousness,
decorum, deference, dignities, diplomacy, diplomatic code,
education, elegance, elegancies, enculturation, enlightenment,
etiquette, exquisite manners, familiarity, favor, felicity,
fitness, fittingness, fondness for society, form, formalities,
formality, friendliness, geniality, genteelness, gentilities,
gentility, good form, good manners, graceful gesture, gracefulness,
graces, graciousness, gregariousness, happiness, hospitality,
intimacy, manners, meetness, mores, natural politeness,
point of etiquette, polish, polite act, politeness, politesse,
properness, proprieties, propriety, protocol, punctilio,
quiet good manners, refinement, respect, respectfulness, rightness,
rites, rituals, rules of conduct, seemliness, sociability,
sociableness, social code, social conduct, social convention,
social grace, social graces, social procedures, social usage,
sociality, socialization, solicitousness, solicitude, suitability,
tact, tactfulness, thoughtfulness, urbanity
|