Civilization: meaning, definitions and examples

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civilization

 

[ ˌsɪv.ə.lɪˈzeɪ.ʃən ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

ancient history

The stage of human social development and organization that is considered most advanced.

Synonyms

civilisation, culture, society

Examples of usage

  • Civilization emerged in Mesopotamia around 3500 BCE.
  • The Indus Valley Civilization is one of the earliest known urban civilizations.
Context #2 | Noun

modern context

The society, culture, and way of life of a particular area.

Synonyms

culture, society, way of life

Examples of usage

  • The Western civilization has had a significant impact on global culture.
  • The indigenous civilizations of South America are rich in history and tradition.
Context #3 | Noun

academic

The study and practice of the development and characteristics of civilizations.

Synonyms

culture, development, society

Examples of usage

  • She is pursuing a degree in civilization studies.
  • The professor specializes in ancient civilizations.

Translations

Translations of the word "civilization" in other languages:

🇵🇹 civilização

🇮🇳 सभ्यता

🇩🇪 Zivilisation

🇮🇩 peradaban

🇺🇦 цивілізація

🇵🇱 cywilizacja

🇯🇵 文明 (ぶんめい)

🇫🇷 civilisation

🇪🇸 civilización

🇹🇷 medeniyet

🇰🇷 문명 (munmyeong)

🇸🇦 حضارة (ḥaḍāra)

🇨🇿 civilizace

🇸🇰 civilizácia

🇨🇳 文明 (wénmíng)

🇸🇮 civilizacija

🇮🇸 siðmenning

🇰🇿 өркениет

🇬🇪 ცივილიზაცია (civilizacia)

🇦🇿 sivilizasiya

🇲🇽 civilización

Word origin

The word 'civilization' originated from the Latin word 'civitas', meaning 'city' or 'citizen body'. It first appeared in the English language in the mid-18th century, during the Enlightenment period when there was a focus on progress, reason, and human society. The concept of civilization has evolved over time to encompass various aspects of human development, culture, and organization.

See also: civil, civilian, civilianization, civilianizing, civilisation, civility, civilly, incivility, uncivil, uncivilized.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,815, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.