civilization
an advanced state of human society, in which a high level of culture, science, industry, and government has been reached.
those people or nations that have reached such a state.
any type of culture, society, etc., of a specific place, time, or group: Greek civilization.
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.
cultural refinement; refinement of thought and cultural appreciation: The letters of Madame de Sévigné reveal her wit and civilization.
cities or populated areas in general, as opposed to unpopulated or wilderness areas: The plane crashed in the jungle, hundreds of miles from civilization.
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.
Origin of civilization
1word story For civilization
Once a nation, culture, or group of people has been brought out of the “savage” darkness into an enlightened and advanced state, it becomes a civilization. This sense arose about the same time, but without the imperialistic undertones attached to the original meaning of the word. When used with a modifier, it refers to the civilization of a specific region ( European civilization, French civilization ), people ( Mayan civilization ), or period of time ( modern civilization ).
In the early 19th century, speakers of English started using civilization to mean cities or populated areas in general—that is, places where civilizations are located. This word is applied as well to the comforts and conveniences associated with populated areas, so that today we might use civilization to describe what we have left behind if we go camping in the wilderness and have no cellphone coverage.
Other words from civilization
- civ·i·li·za·tion·al, adjective
- de·civ·i·li·za·tion, noun
- hy·per·civ·i·li·za·tion, noun
- in·ter·civ·i·li·za·tion, noun
- o·ver·civ·i·li·za·tion, noun
- post·civ·i·li·za·tion, adjective
- pre·civ·i·li·za·tion, noun
- sub·civ·i·li·za·tion, noun
- su·per·civ·i·li·za·tion, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use civilization in a sentence
Remember the days of post-9/11 civilizational war, of weltkampf between Islam and Christendom?
You fear that when “civilizational” is being used as an adjective, the noun is, as they like to say at Commentary, in grave peril.
The separation from the civilizational influences of Asia amounts to absolute isolation.
The Ethnology of the British Colonies and Dependencies | Robert Gordon LathamFrom the Australians they differ but slightly in mental capacity, and civilizational development.
The Ethnology of the British Colonies and Dependencies | Robert Gordon LathamIt proves that the most important differences now separating the great races of men are civilizational, not physiological.
Evolution Of The Japanese, Social And Psychic | Sidney L. Gulick
From these facts it might almost appear that brain size and civilizational development are in inverse ratio.
Evolution Of The Japanese, Social And Psychic | Sidney L. GulickThe psychic unity of the Orient is a civilizational, a social unity, as is also the psychic unity of the Occident.
Evolution Of The Japanese, Social And Psychic | Sidney L. Gulick
British Dictionary definitions for civilization
civilisation
/ (ˌsɪvɪlaɪˈzeɪʃən) /
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
the peoples or nations collectively who have achieved such a state
the total culture and way of life of a particular people, nation, region, or period: classical civilization
the process of bringing or achieving civilization
intellectual, cultural, and moral refinement
cities or populated areas, as contrasted with sparsely inhabited areas, deserts, etc
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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