Cívico

Cívico is an adjective used in Spanish and Portuguese to describe things related to citizens, the city, or public life. It derives from Latin civicus, itself from civis, meaning citizen, and it is commonly employed to express the collective dimension of a community and its governance, rather than to refer to military or religious spheres.

In everyday language, cívico appears in phrases such as educación cívica (civic education), valores cívicos (civic values), participación cívica (civic participation), and deber cívico (civic duty). It is also used to characterize institutions, spaces, or activities linked to the public sphere or municipal life, for example in “vida cívica” or “espacio cívico.” In education systems across Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking regions, subjects or programs focused on rights, responsibilities, and participation of citizens are commonly described with this term.

Distinctions from related terms are contextually important. Civil, in the sense of law or the state, is a separate semantic field; cívico emphasizes public-spiritedness, community life, and citizens’ roles within society. Although closely related to civismo or civic virtue, cívico primarily functions as a descriptor of concerns tied to the community and public engagement rather than legal or military dimensions. See also civismo, civics, ciudadanía.