what is a civilian

A civilian is a person who is not a member of the armed forces, police, or firefighting force. Civilians do not take part in armed conflict and cannot be combatants. The term "non-combatant" is now used to refer to people in general who are not taking part in hostilities during times of war, rather than just civilians. The civilian population comprises all persons who do not belong to the armed forces and do not take part in a mass uprising.