anti-civilian
|an-ti-civ-il-li-an|
/ˌæn.ti.sɪˈvɪl.jən/
against civilians
Etymology
'anti-civilian' originates from Greek and Latin elements, specifically the prefix 'anti-' from Greek 'anti' where it meant 'against', and 'civilian' from Latin 'civilis' (via Old French 'civilien') where it meant 'of a citizen'.
'anti-civilian' arose as a modern compound combining the Greek-derived prefix 'anti-' with the English noun 'civilian' (the latter coming from Old French 'civilien' and Latin 'civilis'), resulting in the hyphenated form used in contemporary English.
Initially the components meant 'against' and 'of a citizen', but over time the compound came to be used specifically for actions or policies 'directed against non-combatant civilians' in contexts such as warfare, human rights reporting, and legal discussion.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
directed against civilians; hostile to or intended to harm non-combatant members of the public (often used in contexts of armed conflict, state policy, or attacks).
The report condemned the government's anti-civilian measures during the conflict.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/20 17:44