civium

Civium is the genitive plural form of the Latin noun civis, meaning citizen. In Latin grammar, civis is a third-declension noun; its plural nominative is cives, and its genitive plural is civium. The form civium translates as “of the citizens” and is used to express possession or relation, such as in phrases like leges civium (the laws of the citizens) or iura civium (the rights of the citizens).

In classical Latin, civium commonly appears after nouns that denote laws, rights, duties, or institutions to indicate something belonging to or concerning the citizenry. It functions to show collective ownership or affiliation, and it helps distinguish the civic realm from other kinds of possession. The usage is purely grammatical, but it reflects how Romans conceptually grouped individuals as a political community.

Civium is distinct from civitas, another core Latin term that can mean city, state, or citizenship as a political community. While civitus or civitatis often denote the broader civic body, civium specifically marks the genitive plural relationship to the citizens themselves.

In modern reference works, civium is typically cited as an example of the genitive plural form in Latin grammar. It may appear in discussions of Roman law, political theory, or epigraphic inscriptions as part of standard Latin phraseology.