View synonyms for

civil service

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.

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

civil service

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

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Word History and Origins

Origin of civil service¹

First recorded in 1775–85

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The Huntington Park City Council has chosen a local civil service commissioner to replace former Councilmember Esmeralda Castillo, whose seat was declared vacant after a probe determined she was not living in the city.

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Pope John Paul II made him a cardinal in 2001 and he took up posts in the Church's civil service, the Curia.

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A government department run by one of Sir Keir Starmer's most senior ministers is cutting almost a third of its jobs as ministers seek to accelerate civil service reform.

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The mass layoffs ordered by the Trump administration have mostly gone unchallenged in the courts because of the civil service laws.

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The government has already announced big cuts to the welfare bill as well as plans to cut the civil service and abolish several quangos including NHS England.

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Related Words

civil servant civil society

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