uncivil

U1N1C3I1V4I1L1
/ʌnˈsɪv.əl/

adjective

Not civilized.

“uncivil behavior”

Opposite
UncommonScrabble 12

Meanings

adjectiveuncivil (comparative more uncivil, superlative most uncivil)

comparative more uncivil · superlative most uncivil

  1. Not civil; discourteous; impolite.

    uncivil behavior

    3 more examples

    But when he had urged his request four or five times, and we thought on what evil the country folk say that they have at times suffered from the Vettar, when they have chanced to swear at them, or with uncivil words bid them go to hell, I took the resolution to read some prayers over my wife, and to bless her, and bid her in God's name go with him.

    1850, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, London: H.G. Bohn, page 123

    John Terry and Frank Lampard would not have reacted as the Nigerian did to the (admittedly X-rated) challenge that led to the Liverpool forward being sent off in last week’s Carling Cup quarter-final against Chelsea. All very dangerous, all very uncivil.

    24 December 2007, “The Times”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)

    But since you probably weren’t there, and be thankful for that, here is a quick primer on local, uncivil civics so that you might appreciate the recent political clamor in this part of eastern Tennessee.

    4 February 2008, New York Times

    Synonyms: churlish, lack-grace, rude, aweless, improper, bad-mannered, barbaric, bold

Synonyms & antonyms

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivelacking civility or good manners

Similar
Opposite

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*né
  2. Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
  3. Proto-Germanic*un-
  4. Proto-West Germanic*un-
  5. Old Englishun-
  6. Middle Englishun-
  7. Englishun-
  8. Englishcivil
  9. Englishuncivil

From un- + civil. Piecewise doublet of incivil.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Spanish incivil
  • incivilnot civil; discourteous; impolite

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with uncivil

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

uncivil. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/uncivil

MLA

“uncivil.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/uncivil. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “uncivil,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/uncivil.

Source: uncivil on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.