Civilitas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality of showing courtesy and politeness in social interaction; a state of being well-mannered and respectful; a principle of behaving with consideration and tact toward others
2. A demeanor characterized by refined manners and respectful behavior in communal or social settings; a condition where individuals conduct themselves with dignity and mutual respect; an attitude promoting harmony through courteous treatment of others
3. The attribute of being polite and courteous in communication and actions; an environment or behavior marked by respectfulness and kindness among people; the practice of civility as a social virtue fostering peaceful coexistence

Etymology: Latin "civilitas" meant something close to "citizenship" or the proper conduct of a citizen, and it grew from "civis," citizen. The Romans used it for the qualities that made someone a good member of the community, and the Latin sense of the word stayed close to civic life rather than manners. From there the word passed into Old French and then into English, where it came to mean courtesy and polite behavior. This narrowing from political membership to everyday good manners is a common pattern: the sense of belonging to a city gradually became the sense of behaving well among people in it. Its English relatives show the same family. "Civil," "civility," and "civilization" all descend from "civis," and the modern word "civilian" is a distant cousin that keeps the older link to the citizen rather than the soldier.

Synonyms: civility, politeness, courtesy, decorum

Antonyms: rudeness, incivility, impoliteness