Word
civilization
Phoneticsciv·i·liza·tion
/ˌsɪvəɫɪˈzeɪʃən/
UK spelling · civilisation
Definitions
01a specific society
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a large group of people with their own organized culture, laws, and way of life.
n. a complex society characterized by urban development, social stratification, and shared cultural or political institutions.
日本語:文明※
Español:civilización
“The ancient Maya civilization built incredible stone temples in the jungle.”
“Archaeologists are still uncovering the sophisticated irrigation systems used by the Indus Valley civilization over four thousand years ago.”
02human society in general
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. all people living together in an organized way, especially when compared to nature or a wild state.
n. the collective state of human social development and the comforts or infrastructure of modern life.
日本語:文明※
“After three weeks of camping in the woods, it was nice to return to civilization.”
“The explorer expressed concern that the rapid expansion of industrial civilization was threatening the planet's most fragile ecosystems.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03the process of development
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Academic · Formal
n. the act of improving how a society works or how people behave toward each other.
n. the process of achieving a higher state of social, cultural, or technological development.
“The spread of education was a key part of the civilization of the region.”
“Historians often debate whether the rapid civilization of nomadic tribes was driven more by trade or by military conquest.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “civilization” in context.
Adjective
01. western civilisation
“Ancient Greek philosophy is often considered the foundation of Western civilisation.”
adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“In other words, there must be one or more steps in the evolution of advanced civilisation that are very difficult to surmount.” “Two new episodes make up this special release from Dan Snow’s super-popular pod – one on the rise of the advanced ancient civilisation and another on its fall.” Etymology
Borrowed from French civilisation, equivalent to civilize + -ation or civil + -ization.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/civilization
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0