Basic Details
Word: Civilization
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A society with its own culture, way of life and organised government. It can also mean the comforts of towns and modern life.
Synonyms: culture, society
How to Spell Civilization
Syllables: civ - i - li - za - tion
Tricky part: Civil keeps its single l when the ending is added, so it is not civillization. There are four i's to keep track of. Oxford accepts both civilization and civilisation.
Watch out for: civillization, civilasation, civilyzation
Memory tip: Build it in two steps: civil, then -ization as in organization. Nothing doubles and nothing drops.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Our Class 8 project compared the Maya civilization with the Chola kingdom.
Example 2: Far from civilization, the trekkers had no phone signal for three days.
Example 3: Every civilization leaves behind clues in its pots, tools and writing.
Fun Fact
The Harappan cities of the Indus Valley, such as Mohenjo-daro, had covered drains and planned streets more than 4,000 years ago.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
civillization
a) i
b) c
c) z
d) l
Show answer
d) l. Civil ends in a single l, and that l does not double before -ization.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
The museum's new gallery tells the story of an ancient oiiatnvliczi that grew up along the Nile.
a) visualization
b) civilian
c) utilization
d) civilization
Show answer
d) civilization. Only civilization has a c, a v and four i's.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the meaning of the only correctly spelt word:
1. monumant 2. civilization 3. archaeolgy 4. inscripsion
a) a building or statue put up to remember a person or event
b) an organised society with its own culture and way of life
c) the study of the past through objects dug from the ground
d) words carved or written on stone or metal
Show answer
b) an organised society with its own culture and way of life. Archaeology needs its o before the g, monument ends in -ment and inscription ends in -tion.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is a sign of an organised civilization?
a) a system of writing
b) a passing storm
c) a single family
d) a herd of goats
Show answer
a) a system of writing
2. Trekkers who return to civilization after a week come back to ____.
a) a history lesson
b) the start of the trail
c) a museum about ancient people
d) towns with shops and services
Show answer
d) towns with shops and services
