civili

Civili is a term most commonly encountered in Italian, where it functions as both a plural noun and an adjective. As a plural noun, i civili refers to civilians—people who are not members of the military or police. As an adjective, civili describes matters relating to civilians, civil society, or the non-military aspects of a state. In everyday use it appears in phrases such as popolazione civile (civilian population), diritto civile (civil law), diritti civili (civil rights), and società civile (civil society).

Etymology and usage context: the word derives from the Latin civilis, meaning “of citizens,” which in turn comes from civis, meaning “citizen.” Through Latin, the form entered Italian and has been used to distinguish non-military or non-governmental aspects of public life from military or police-related topics.

Typical contexts: civili is common in legal, sociological, and news language in Italian. For example, reports may refer to civilians affected by conflict, and legal discussions may distinguish civil law from criminal law. The term also appears in discussions of civil rights and civil society, underscoring its relevance to non-military, citizen-centered aspects of public life.

Notes on use in English: outside Italian, civili is rarely used as a standalone term. In English, civil or civilian are the standard equivalents, while civili may appear only as an Italian loanword or in quotations, glosses, or as part of proper names.