German word

Zivilisation

Pronunciation

IPA/tsivilizaˈtsi̯oːn/

Meaning

  • feminine nouncivilization

Example

Unsere Zivilisation macht große Fortschritte.

Our civilization is making great progress.

Illustration for Zivilisation (civilization)

More examples

Die westliche Zivilisation prägt viele politische Institutionen.

Western civilization shapes many political institutions.

Core concept

A long-built human world of cities, tools, institutions, and shared ways of living.

Common phrases

  • westliche Zivilisation

    western civilization

  • postkoloniale Zivilisation

    postcolonial civilization

  • technologische Zivilisation

    technological civilization

Similar words

Kultur: The shared arts, customs, beliefs, and values that define a group's way of life.
Gesellschaft: A human community structured by social relationships, organizations, and common institutions.

Definition in German

Die Gesamtheit kultureller, technischer und sozialer Errungenschaften einer Gesellschaft.

Word origin

The noun entered German through French civilisation and ultimately comes from Latin civilis, meaning 'of a citizen'.

Usage tips

  • Zivilisation is feminine, with the forms die Zivilisation and die Zivilisationen in the plural.

Opposites

  • Barbareibarbarismnoun

Related words

  • Zivilisationsforschungcivilization researchnoun
  • zivilisatorischcivilizationaladjective

Word lists with this word