Civilization
/ˌsɪv.əl.aɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/noun
The stage of human social development marked by cities, institutions, writing, and organized culture.
Did you know?The word entered English in the 18th century as a term for turning a criminal case into a civil one, and only later came to mean the whole idea of “advanced society.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ḱei-
“to lie down; to settle”
Latin
Latin
civis
“citizen, member of a community”
Latin
Latin
civis + -ilis
“belonging to a citizen; civil”
16th Century
French
civilisation
“rendering a criminal case into a civil one; making polite or orderly”
18th Century
English
civilization
“the action or process of civilizing; later, a developed state of society”
Modern English
English
civilization
“a complex society with cities, institutions, and cultural development”