civilization: Meaning and Definition of

civ•i•li•za•tion

Pronunciation: (siv"u-lu-zā'shun), [key]
— n.
  1. an advanced state of human society, in which a high level of culture, science, industry, and government has been reached.
  2. those people or nations that have reached such a state.
  3. any type of culture, society, etc., of a specific place, time, or group: Greek civilization.
  4. the act or process of civilizing or being civilized: Rome's civilization of barbaric tribes was admirable.
  5. cultural refinement; refinement of thought and cultural appreciation: The letters of Madame de Sévigné reveal her wit and civilization.
  6. cities or populated areas in general, as opposed to unpopulated or wilderness areas:the jungle, hundreds of miles from civilization. The plane crashed in
  7. modern comforts and conveniences, as made possible by science and technology: After a week in the woods, without television or even running water, the campers looked forward to civilization again.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also: