a civilization

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A large, organized society with cities, writing, government, and shared ways of living.

   Grammar: Countable, so you can say a civilization, civilizations, or the civilizations of Asia.

   Patterns

   • an ancient civilization
   • the rise of a civilization
   • a civilization develops
   • the fall of a civilization

   Ancient Egypt was one of the earliest civilizations in the world.

   Trade routes helped this civilization grow rich and powerful.

   Historians study how a civilization collapses when its resources run out.

2. 2nouncountable or uncountable

   The particular way of life and culture of a country or group of people.

   Grammar: Often uncountable when talking about human culture in general, but countable when you mean one specific culture.

   Patterns

   • Western civilization
   • modern civilization
   • human civilization

   She wrote a book about the influence of Islamic civilization on science.

   Many people worry that modern civilization is damaging the planet.

   The museum celebrates the art of ancient Chinese civilization.

3. 3noununcountable

   A comfortable, well-organized way of living that most people consider normal.

   Grammar: Uncountable here; often used in phrases like the end of civilization or far from civilization.

   Patterns

   • the end of civilization
   • far from civilization
   • the comforts of civilization

   After a week in the mountains, they were glad to return to civilization.

   The village is miles from civilization, with no shops or roads.

   Some people say smartphones have changed civilization more than the printing press.

Word forms

Common combinations

ancient civilization

They studied the art of ancient civilization in Mesopotamia.

Western civilization

The course covers the history of Western civilization from Rome to today.

the rise and fall of a civilization

The book describes the rise and fall of a great civilization.

human civilization

Climate change is a threat to human civilization.

a lost civilization

Explorers searched for a lost civilization in the jungle.

the dawn of civilization

Writing appeared at the dawn of civilization.

Synonyms and how they differ

society

Society is the general word for people living together; a civilization is a specific large, advanced one with cities and writing.

culture

Culture means the beliefs, art, and customs of a group, while a civilization also includes its cities, government, and technology.

nation

A nation is a country and its people; a civilization can cover many nations and last for centuries.

Opposites

Word family

civilize verb

To bring a society to a more developed way of life.

civilized adjective

Describing a society that is well organized and advanced.

civil adjective

Relating to ordinary citizens rather than the army or church.

civility noun

Polite behavior between people.

Commonly confused: a civilization or civilisation? a civilization or civilization?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “a civilization”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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