civil list: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Historical, Administrative, Political
Quick answer
What does “civil list” mean?
An official sum of money granted by a government for the annual expenses of a sovereign and the immediate royal household, distinct from state expenses.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An official sum of money granted by a government for the annual expenses of a sovereign and the immediate royal household, distinct from state expenses.
Historically, a list of government officials and their salaries; in modern UK usage, the annual grant approved by Parliament to cover the official expenses of the monarch and certain other members of the royal family.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is almost exclusively used in the context of the UK and other Commonwealth realms. In the US, lacking a monarchy, there is no direct equivalent. Americans might encounter it in historical or political texts about the UK.
Connotations
In the UK, it often carries connotations of public scrutiny, tradition, and debates about the monarchy's public funding. In the US, it is a purely historical/foreign concept.
Frequency
High frequency in UK political/news context when royal finances are discussed; extremely low to zero in general American English.
Grammar
How to Use “civil list” in a Sentence
The [Civil List] is funded by [the government/Parliament].[Parliament] approves/votes on the [Civil List].Funds from the [Civil List] are used for [official duties].Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in political science, history, and constitutional law texts discussing the financing of monarchies.
Everyday
Very rare; only in news discussions about royal family finances.
Technical
Used in official UK government documents and parliamentary proceedings related to royal finances.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “civil list”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “civil list”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “civil list”
- Using it to refer to any government salary list (historical meaning, not modern).
- Confusing it with the 'privy purse' (the monarch's private income).
- Thinking it funds all royal family members (it was historically for the monarch; now replaced by the Sovereign Grant for the core group).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the traditional Civil List was abolished in 2012 and replaced by the Sovereign Grant, a more modern system of funding the monarch's official duties.
No, it was the opposite. The Civil List was public money granted by Parliament to the monarch to perform official state functions, separate from her private wealth.
Historically, it could refer to a list of government officials. However, in contemporary English, it is almost exclusively associated with royal financing in a constitutional monarchy.
The word 'civil' here relates to the state or government (as in 'civil service'). It was the list of expenses for the civil government of the Crown, as opposed to military or other expenditures.
An official sum of money granted by a government for the annual expenses of a sovereign and the immediate royal household, distinct from state expenses.
Civil list is usually formal, historical, administrative, political in register.
Civil list: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsɪv.l̩ ˈlɪst/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsɪv.l̩ ˈlɪst/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(none specific to this term)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CIVIL servants are paid by the state; the CIVIL LIST is the state's list for paying the CIVIL duties of the Crown.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE STATE IS A HOUSEHOLD (The nation provides a household budget for its royal family).
Practice
Quiz
What did the UK Civil List primarily fund?