civil service

SEE SYNONYMS FOR civil service ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

those branches of public service concerned with all governmental administrative functions outside the armed services.
the body of persons employed in these branches.
a system or method of appointing government employees on the basis of competitive examinations, rather than by political patronage.

Origin of civil service

First recorded in 1775–85

Words nearby civil service

civil rightist, civil rights, civil rights act of 1964, civil rights movement, civil servant, civil service, civil society, civil tongue, civil war, civil year, civilian

Words related to civil service

management, ministry, administration, authority, government, directorate, officialdom, works, beadledom

Example sentences from the Web for civil service

British Dictionary definitions for civil service

civil service

noun

the service responsible for the public administration of the government of a country. It excludes the legislative, judicial, and military branches. Members of the civil service have no official political allegiance and are not generally affected by changes of governments
the members of the civil service collectively

Cultural definitions for civil service

civil service

The nonmilitary personnel who work for a government, applying its laws and regulations.