civilization
n. C / Un. a large, organized society with its own culture, laws, and way of life. It usually refers to a group of people living in cities with advanced systems for government and art.
n. an advanced stage of human social development and organization, typically characterized by urban centers, social stratification, and symbolic communication systems. Often used to distinguish complex societies from those perceived as less developed.
Ancient Egypt was a powerful civilization that lasted for thousands of years.
Archaeologists study the ruins of the Mayan civilization to understand how their complex calendar system functioned.
The collapse of a civilization is rarely the result of a single event, but rather a confluence of environmental degradation, political instability, and economic exhaustion.
Borrowed from French civilisation, equivalent to civilize + -ation or civil + -ization.
Countable when referring to a specific historical society; uncountable when referring to the general concept of human social development.