polgári

Polgári is a Hungarian adjective and surname meaning civil, civilian, civic, or bourgeois. Derived from polgár, meaning citizen, it forms terms that relate to citizens and civil life rather than military or ecclesiastical domains. In everyday language, polgári is used to describe things connected with citizens or civil society, for example polgári élet (civilian life) or polgári társadalom (civil society).

In law and public administration, it denotes the non-criminal, non-military sphere: polgári jog (civil law); polgári védelem (civil protection); polgári szolgálat (civil service). The term also appears in sociopolitical discourse to refer to the middle class or bourgeoisie, with polgárság denoting the social stratum and polgári ideálok (civil ideals) used in historical contexts.

As a surname, Polgári occurs in Hungary and among Hungarian-speaking communities.

See also: polgár; polgárság; polgári jog; polgári védelem.