English Lexicon

Civvies

/ˈsɪv.iz/
nounCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #14500 frequency
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1 sense
As noun
  1. 1

    Ordinary civilian clothes as worn by military personnel when off-duty or by former service members.

    "After months in uniform, the soldiers were finally allowed to change into their civvies for the weekend pass."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived as a colloquial clipping and pluralization of the adjective 'civilian', originating in British and American military slang during the early 20th century. The term emerged to distinctly categorize ordinary everyday clothing worn by military personnel when off-duty compared to their standard-issue uniforms.

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