civilization

noun civ·i·li·za·tion \ ˌsi-və-lə-ˈzā-shən \

Updated on: 19 May 2018

Definition of civilization

1 a : a relatively high level of cultural and technological development; specifically : the stage of cultural development at which writing and the keeping of written records is attained

b : the culture characteristic of a particular time or place

the impact of European civilization on the lands they colonized

2 : the process of becoming civilized

civilization is a slow process with many failures and setbacks

3 a : refinement of thought, manners, or taste

exhibiting a high level of civilization

b : a situation of urban comfort

Our African safari was quite interesting, but it was great to get back to civilization.

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civilizational

play \-shnəl, -shə-nᵊl\ adjective

See civilization defined for English-language learners

See civilization defined for kids

Examples of civilization in a Sentence

the impact of technical advancements on civilization
We are studying ancient Greek civilization.
a book about life on the planet after wars have destroyed civilization

Recent Examples of civilization from the Web

The African Yoruba, Native American Hopi, and Mesopotamian civilizations told flood myths that symbolized an ending and renewal of world order.

— liya rechtman, BostonGlobe.com, "When the apocalypse is a feature, not a bug," 12 May 2018
This timeline dovetails with the beginnings of human civilization, when larger populations and trade routes would have helped the disease spread and transform into novel strains.

— michael price, Science | AAAS, "Liver-destroying virus may have been with us since the dawn of civilization," 9 May 2018
Who would have thought that an abandoned newspaper building during the collapse of modern civilization would be such a picture of serenity?

— refinery29.com, "The Handmaid's Tale Season 2, Episode 3 Recap: Ain't No Hollaback Girl," 2 May 2018
Aside from jacales, huts made of mud and tree branches, there were few signs of what now is civilization 300 years ago.

— scott huddleston, San Antonio Express-News, "San Antonio’s ‘birthday week’ begins Tuesday," 30 Apr. 2018
It's estimated that the children - and 200 young llamas - were sacrificed about 550 years ago, when the area was home to the pre-Columbian Chimu civilization.

— the washington post, AL.com, "Bodies of 140 children found in Peru, possibly world's largest child sacrifice site," 27 Apr. 2018
While human sacrifice was common among ancient civilizations such as the Incas and the Aztecs, the discovery which was supported by grants from the National Geographic Society, sheds new light on the Chimu Empire in Peru.

— maria clark, NOLA.com, "Remains of 140 children who died in the 16th century, point to largest child sacrifice in history," 26 Apr. 2018
The programs that are already set up happen to try to encompass a lot of the systematic knowledge about computation and about the world that our civilization has accumulated.

— stephen wolfram, WIRED, "2001: A Space Odyssey Predicted The Future—50 Years Ago," 3 Apr. 2018
For the last century, human civilization has been broadcasting its existence to the cosmos via our leaky radio transmissions.

— National Geographic, "Aliens Could Detect Life on Earth. Here's How.," 26 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'civilization.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of civilization

see civil

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1760

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

civilization Synonyms

Other Sociology Terms

bourgeois, ethos, eugenics, exurb, incommunicado, intelligentsia, megalopolis, metrosexual, mores, subculture

CIVILIZATION Defined for English Language Learners

civilization

noun

Definition of civilization for English Language Learners

: the condition that exists when people have developed effective ways of organizing a society and care about art, science, etc.
: a particular well-organized and developed society
: all the societies of the world