Final answer:
Civil service is defined as the body of government officials, excluding elected officials and judges, who help run the government through nonelected positions within the bureaucracy, often filled based on merit and qualifications tested by civil service exams.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best definition of civil service is the body of government officials (except elected officials and judges) selected to help run the government. Civil service refers to civil servants or bureaucrats who occupy nonelected positions within the bureaucracy, performing administrative tasks to implement and enforce policies and programs. These positions are filled based on qualifications that may include work history, education, and scores on civil service exams, often adhering to a merit system.
Civil servants play essential roles in every area of government, including high-level foreign affairs and intelligence, down to clerks in regulatory agencies. They hold competitive service, excepted service, or senior executive service positions, each category having its own hiring practices and qualifications, whether that be through competitive examinations or demonstration of specific skills and experiences.