German Conversation · Level 46
74 words
German word
Zivilist
Pronunciation
IPA/ˌt͡siviˈlɪst/
Meaning
- masculine nouncivilian
Example
Viele Zivilisten flohen aus der Stadt.
Many civilians fled the city.
More examples
Die Helfer versorgten verletzte Zivilisten im Notlager.
The aid workers cared for injured civilians at the emergency shelter.
Core concept
A person among the town's ordinary residents, outside the military chain of command.
Common phrases
als Zivilist gelten
be considered a civilian
Evakuierung der Zivilisten
evacuation of civilians
Schutz der Zivilisten
protection of civilians
Similar words
Bürger: A person holding citizenship in a country or municipality.
Privatperson: A private individual not acting on behalf of an organization or authority.
Zivilbevölkerung: All civilians living or present in an area affected by war or conflict.
Unbeteiligter: A person with no involvement in the event or activity concerned.
Definition in German
Jemand aus der Zivilbevölkerung, der nicht militärisch tätig ist.
Word origin
German Zivilist combines zivil, ultimately from Latin civilis meaning 'relating to citizens', with the person-forming suffix -ist.
Usage tips
- Zivilist names a person, while in Zivil means dressed in civilian clothes rather than a uniform.