Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun plural Civilian clothes.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun civilian clothes (military slang)

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun civilian garb as opposed to a military uniform

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Shortening and alteration of civilian.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

from civilian

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word civvies.

Examples

  • “Just get out,” she croaks, turns on her heel, and clicks upstairs to her dressing room, where she will change out of her business rig into what we call her civvies, her civilian gear.

    MY EMPIRE OF DIRT Manny Howard 2010

  • “Just get out,” she croaks, turns on her heel, and clicks upstairs to her dressing room, where she will change out of her business rig into what we call her civvies, her civilian gear.

    MY EMPIRE OF DIRT Manny Howard 2010

  • “Just get out,” she croaks, turns on her heel, and clicks upstairs to her dressing room, where she will change out of her business rig into what we call her civvies, her civilian gear.

    MY EMPIRE OF DIRT Manny Howard 2010

  • “Just get out,” she croaks, turns on her heel, and clicks upstairs to her dressing room, where she will change out of her business rig into what we call her civvies, her civilian gear.

    MY EMPIRE OF DIRT Manny Howard 2010

  • However, he was in civvies sitting out the first game of a back to back to be fully rested for the Suns 'big game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

    Archive 2008-11-01 2008

  • He was, of course, in civvies and, despite his own policy, was not displaying his warrant card in the beautiful clip-on holder purchased at great, but worthwhile, expense.

    Stop Press « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2008

  • Decided my concentration would be cathartically aided by slamming the office door closed to block out the excited primate noises coming from the Neighbiurhood Team Office, all dressed in civvies & off for an Away/Teambuilding day somewhere.

    Celebrating Christmas may provoke minority groups. « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2008

  • However, he was in civvies sitting out the first game of a back to back to be fully rested for the Suns 'big game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

    Pwnd 2008

  • You know — guys that played it safe during the war, scrounged around keeping themselves in civvies — got swell apartments — swell dames — you know the kind ....

    Caught in the Crossfire: Adrian Scott and the Politics of Americanism in 1940s Hollywood 2007

  • Then suddenly we arrived, a little company of about 12 or 15 bedraggled "gents in civvies" ducking in the rain, and, sure enough, our entry was greeted in the good old spirit, and one hearty voice amidst the scattered clapping, cheers and hyahs and so forth suggested "throw the bloody civilians out".

    With the Prime Minister in Great Britain 1941

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.