British slang for a civilian, especially someone not in the military or police force.
Shortened from civilian, which comes from Old French civil, from Latin civilis meaning 'relating to citizens.' The -ie suffix is a common British diminutive or informal shortening.
Military and police forces worldwide have adopted similar shortened slang terms—'civvie,' 'civie'—showing how groups create their own language to distinguish insiders from outsiders. It's a perfect example of how language evolves within communities.
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