A "civilian" is a person who is not in the military or part of a police force. They are regular people who live in a society and are not involved in armed forces or law enforcement. Full definition
I do not like that my taxes supported the killing of civilians in war but I choose to be an American citizen and abide by its rules. (religion.blogs.cnn.com)
Many of these military aviation jobs fit the service man or woman for similar jobs in civilian life, if he or she chooses to leave the service. (avjobs.com)
What should they do, what can they do, and how should they weigh the collateral damage of a failed rescue mission, both in terms of civilian lives and political setbacks? (startribune.com)