Civilisations

/ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃənz/ noun

Definition

Advanced societies with organized systems of government, culture, technology, and social structures (British spelling of 'civilizations').

Etymology

From French 'civilisation,' derived from Latin 'civilis' (relating to citizens) + '-ation' (process). The term developed in 18th-century Europe to describe stages of human social development.

Kelly Says

The word 'civilization' comes from 'civil,' which comes from 'citizen'—so a civilization is literally a group of people organized enough to be called citizens rather than just existing humans.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.