civil service
noun
: the administrative service of a government or international agency exclusive of the armed forces
especially : one in which appointments are determined by competitive examination
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Ibama, the country’s chief environmental enforcement agency, was founded in 1989 and professionalized with a civil service exam in 2002. 
Terrence Mccoy, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2022 The leadership program named in his honor intends to recruit diverse candidates from various backgrounds who aspire to have careers as civil service leaders in the U.S. Department of State. Melissa Noel, Essence, 23 Aug. 2022 According to Massachusetts officials, there have been 32 civil service appointments for police chiefs within the last five years. Shannon Dooling, ProPublica, 11 Aug. 2022 Anti-virus controls have shut down in-person job fairs and postponed civil service exams that lead to jobs for hundreds of thousands of people every year. Olivia Zhang, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Aug. 2022 Graduates are increasingly turning towards civil service careers and jobs at state-run firms, which are viewed as stable with reasonable hours. Yvonne Lau, Fortune, 31 July 2022 Her civil service pension is adjusted for prices, subject to budget constraints, but is sometimes capped. Lorraine Mirabella, Baltimore Sun, 30 July 2022 With Schedule F in place, Trump could fill the civil service with rabid foot soldiers willing and able to smoothly implement any policy the administration might dream up. Laura Jedeed, The New Republic, 9 Aug. 2022 The council agreed to take the chief’s position out of civil service, and the state approved the move. Shannon Dooling, ProPublica, 11 Aug. 2022 See More
Terrence Mccoy, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2022 The leadership program named in his honor intends to recruit diverse candidates from various backgrounds who aspire to have careers as civil service leaders in the U.S. Department of State. Melissa Noel, Essence, 23 Aug. 2022 According to Massachusetts officials, there have been 32 civil service appointments for police chiefs within the last five years. Shannon Dooling, ProPublica, 11 Aug. 2022 Anti-virus controls have shut down in-person job fairs and postponed civil service exams that lead to jobs for hundreds of thousands of people every year. Olivia Zhang, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Aug. 2022 Graduates are increasingly turning towards civil service careers and jobs at state-run firms, which are viewed as stable with reasonable hours. Yvonne Lau, Fortune, 31 July 2022 Her civil service pension is adjusted for prices, subject to budget constraints, but is sometimes capped. Lorraine Mirabella, Baltimore Sun, 30 July 2022 With Schedule F in place, Trump could fill the civil service with rabid foot soldiers willing and able to smoothly implement any policy the administration might dream up. Laura Jedeed, The New Republic, 9 Aug. 2022 The council agreed to take the chief’s position out of civil service, and the state approved the move. Shannon Dooling, ProPublica, 11 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
circa 1770, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
civil service
noun
: the branch of a government that takes care of the business of running the government and its programs but that does not include the legislature, the military, or the courts