incivility

[ in-suh-vil-i-tee ]

noun

, plural in·ci·vil·i·ties

1. the quality or condition of being uncivil; discourteous behavior or treatment.

   Synonyms: uncouthness, boorishness, rudeness

2. an uncivil act.

   Synonyms: discourtesy

incivility

/ ɪnsɪˈvɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. lack of civility or courtesy; rudeness
2. an impolite or uncivil act or remark

Other Words From

• in·civ·il [in-, siv, -, uh, l], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of incivility¹

From the Late Latin word incīvīlitās, dating back to 1575–85. See in- ³, civility

Example Sentences

Reinforce values such as honesty, kindness and respect A few of my students found the first presidential debate jarring and wanted to talk about the incivility.

From Washington Post

Disagreement over this is fierce, sometimes degenerating into ludicrous levels of incivility.

From The Daily Beast

From Argentina to Russia and countries in between, see similar on-set incivility in 10 televised scuffles over the past 25 years.

From The Daily Beast

But just changing the party in control is not going to solve the problem of hyper-partisanship and escalating incivility.

From The Daily Beast

Or is it revulsion at the offensive incivility of the process, at the arrogance of these youths?

From The Daily Beast

Nothing will rebuke incivility in another so surely as perfect courtesy in your own manner.

From Project Gutenberg

Mrs. Berlinton listened, for she was incapable of incivility; though, weary and disgusted, she seldom made the smallest answer.

From Project Gutenberg

He behaved with almost equal incivility to the Princesse de Polignac, the obscurity of whose English origin was an offence to him.

From Project Gutenberg

An excellent friend of mine lays it down as a maxim, that habitual unpunctuality is positive incivility.

From Project Gutenberg

The incivility of mine adversaries was reproved; but my more heinous outrage was judged worthy of imprisonment.

From Project Gutenberg