civilization

American  

[siv-uh-luh-zey-shuhn] / ˌsɪv ə ləˈzeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. an advanced state of human society, in which a high level of culture, science, industry, and government has been reached.

2. those people or nations that have reached such a state.

3. any type of culture, society, etc., of a specific place, time, or group.

   Greek civilization.

4. the act or process of civilizing, as by bringing out of a savage, uneducated, or unrefined state, or of being civilized.

   Rome's civilization of barbaric tribes was admirable.

5. cultural refinement; refinement of thought and cultural appreciation.

   The letters of Madame de Sévigné reveal her wit and civilization.

6. cities or populated areas in general, as opposed to unpopulated or wilderness areas.

   The plane crashed in the jungle, hundreds of miles from civilization.

7. modern comforts and conveniences, as made possible by science and technology.

   After a week in the woods, without television or even running water, the campers looked forward to civilization again.

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civilization British  

/ ˌsɪvɪlaɪˈzeɪʃən /

noun

1. a human society that has highly developed material and spiritual resources and a complex cultural, political, and legal organization; an advanced state in social development

2. the peoples or nations collectively who have achieved such a state

3. the total culture and way of life of a particular people, nation, region, or period

   classical civilization

4. the process of bringing or achieving civilization

5. intellectual, cultural, and moral refinement

6. cities or populated areas, as contrasted with sparsely inhabited areas, deserts, etc

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Other Word Forms

• civilizational
  adjective
• decivilization
  noun
• hypercivilization
  noun
• intercivilization
  noun
• overcivilization
  noun
• postcivilization
  adjective
• precivilization
  noun
• subcivilization
  noun
• supercivilization
  noun

Etymology

Origin of civilization

First recorded in 1765–75; from French civilisation; see civilize, -ation

Explanation

Civilization is the opposite of barbarism and chaos. Civilization is an advanced stage of human society, where people live with a reasonable degree of organization and comfort and can think about things like art and education. Civilization covers a wide range of human achievement — from the ancient Egyptians, to Mayan and Chinese civilizations, Western civilization, and everything in between. You can use the word more generally — when you're lost in the woods, you’ll be looking for signs of civilization — lights in the distance and smoke rising from chimneys. Civilization comes from Latin civis, "citizen." If you've got citizens, then you've got government and you're moving right along on the path of human advancement.

Example Sentences

If he can survive the end of civilization, surely he can withstand a stressed-out ER doc?

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

“You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great—and that’s what being a space-faring civilization is all about,” Musk said in the filing.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

The city, an oasis of civilization in the Arizona desert, is set to be the base camp for "Team Melli" when the world's biggest sporting spectacle opens in the US, Mexico and Canada next month.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

We’re all crowding around to see it: the barely visible blur left by the triplet of eruptions that tipped a civilization into collapse.

From Slate • May 8, 2026

I followed one of the walkways and explored the skeletal remains of a forgotten civilization.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

Related Words

• advancement
• development
• education
• progress