To civilize or refine someone or something considered wild or rough; to cultivate away savage qualities.
From dis- (opposite) + savage (from Latin silvaticus, 'of the forest'). This rare word appears in 17th-century philosophical texts discussing civilization and refinement.
This word is pretty uncomfortable by modern standards—it reflects an old belief that some people or cultures were 'savage' and needed 'civilizing.' Understanding such words helps us see how language carried colonial and racist ideas.
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