civilization

 
Pronunciation: /ˌsɪvɪlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/
(also civilisation)

noun

[mass noun]
  • the stage of human social development and organization which is considered most advanced: the Victorians equated the railways with progress and civilization
  • the process by which a society or place reaches an advanced stage of social development and organization.
  • the society, culture, and way of life of a particular area: the great books of Western civilization [count noun]: the early civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt
  • the comfort and convenience of modern life, regarded as available only in towns and cities: in the UK nowhere is very far from civilization