VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

civilization

noun·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˌsɪvəlaɪˈzeɪʃn/
US/ˌsɪvələˈzeɪʃn/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A particular complex society with cities, organized government, religion, writing, and shared culture.

    Grammar: Countable when naming one society: Mayan civilization; plural civilizations.

    Patterns

    • ancient civilization
    • the rise/fall of a civilization
    • study a civilization

    Students compared river valley civilizations in history class.

    The museum displays objects from a Bronze Age civilization.

  2. noununcountable

    Human society organized at an advanced level, or organized social life considered as a whole.

    Grammar: Uncountable for the general idea; contrast a civilization, meaning one society.

    Patterns

    • the development of civilization
    • modern civilization
    • threats to civilization

    Writing transformed the development of civilization.

    The essay asks whether technology is changing civilization itself.

  3. noununcountableinformalhumorous

    The comforts, conveniences, and polite social order of modern life.

    Grammar: Uncountable and often slightly humorous; common after return to.

    Patterns

    • return to civilization
    • the comforts of civilization
    • back to civilization

    After a week camping, a hot shower felt like civilization.

    We drove back to civilization before the storm.

Word forms

pluralcivilizations

Common combinations

ancient civilization
Rome was an ancient civilization with laws, roads, and cities.
cradle of civilization
The region is often called a cradle of civilization.
modern civilization
Modern civilization depends on reliable energy and clean water.
return to civilization
They were glad to return to civilization after the expedition.
decline of a civilization
Historians debate the causes of the empire's decline.

Synonyms and how they differ

culture
Emphasizes shared beliefs, arts, and customs within a group; broader and less institutional than civilization.
society
The people and their organization; civilization adds ideas of urban life and advanced development.
refinement
Polish and polite manners; related to the comfort sense, not to ancient states.

Opposites

barbarism

Word family

civilize verb
To bring people to a more organized or socially developed stage.
civilized adjective
Organized and socially developed; also polite and restrained.
civil adjective
Related to citizens or the state; also polite, in a different modern sense.
civility noun
Polite behavior; historically related but now distinct from civilization.

Commonly confused: civilization or society? civilization or culture?

civilization vs society

Society is people living in an organized community; civilization stresses complex institutions, cities, and cultural achievement.

civilization vs culture

Culture covers beliefs and practices; civilization is broader and often includes government, cities, and technology.

Practice

In “Roman _____ left roads, law, and language across Europe,” the best choice is _____.

Make it your own

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

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words