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Civility

[si-vil-i-tee]

noun, plural -ties.

courtesy; politeness.

a polite action or expression: an exchange of civilities.

Archaic. civilization; culture; good breeding.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English civilite < Middle French < Latin cīvīlitāt- (stem of cīvīlitās) courtesy. See civil, -ity

Related forms

o·ver·ci·vil·i·ty, noun

Synonyms
1. affability, amiability, manners, tact.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To Civility

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Civility is always a great word to know.

So is callithumpian. Does it mean:

a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.

a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.

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Example Sentences

Great speeches alone won't usher in a period of greater civility.

It may not, of course, be possible to compel civility.

What's more effective than legislation and legal action are positive initiatives to build respect and civility at work.

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Great speeches alone won't usher in a period of greater civility.

It may not, of course, be possible to compel civility.

What's more effective than legislation and legal action are positive initiatives to build respect and civility at work.

Thank you for bringing civility and good sense to the discussion.

We ask that you adhere to wiki principles of good faith, civility and consensus decision-making.

I've noticed that doctors otherwise prone to bullying will tend to become models of civility when other doctors are around.

The term civility is appropriate in my view because my view is criticism and civility are not mutually exclusive.

Rudeness is out, and civility is the new rule in an uncertain world.

It's amazing how the brittle mantle of civility is shattered if even the thinnest veil of anonymity is provided.

Of course the irony is that such people are doing this anyway through a diffuse commitment to ongoing everyday civility.

I've noticed that people who disagree with me are often lacking in basic civility.

Able to adjust both the set's speaker volume and its own, this remote holds the power of civility as well as control.

In terms of civility there's a difference, and maybe in terms of intimacy, too.

We exchanged few words, but those words that were uttered were marked by high civility.

It is sad that these arguments cannot be conducted with civility and respect.

Forni has devoted his career to convincing people to conduct their lives with kindness and civility.

One man's rage against the communication revolution and the dying of civility.

Giuliani was a world away talking politics and preaching civility at a school on.

People whom extol the civility of the good old days make me laugh.

Udall quickly embraced it as a way for lawmakers to create new signs of civility visible to the public.

And note that the other political parties are no model of civility and virtue either.

Brooks, who generally calls for greater civility and responsibility in public discourse.

Others speculated that radio would put politics on a more rational footing and bring civility back into the campaign process.

COLLAPSE

Collins

World English Dictionary

civility (sɪˈvɪlɪtɪ)

—n , pl -ties
1.	politeness or courtesy, esp when formal
2.	(often plural) an act of politeness

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

civility

late 14c., "status of a citizen," from civil + -ity. Later especially "good citizenship" (1530s). Also "state of being civilized" (1540s); "behavior proper to civilized persons" (1560s).

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Matching Quote

"People will no more advance their civility to a bear, than their money to a bankrupt."

-Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield, 4th Earl

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