Spelling.School · How to spell

How to spell civilian

Civilian is spelled C-I-V-I-L-I-A-N. The part people get wrong: one L.

What it means: A person who is not in the military.

In a sentence: The kind firefighter helped a lost civilian find their way home. ▶

The part people get wrong

Watch for an unstressed vowel that is hard to hear.

Same family: civil, civility, civilize, civilization, civilianize. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: “Civilian” comes from the Latin word “civilis,” meaning “relating to a citizen.” It originally referred to people who studied civil (non‑church) law and later came to mean anyone who is not part of the military.

Try spelling it

You will hear the word and a sentence. Type it and press Enter. Then four more words from the same level, so you know where you stand.

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