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How to spell civilization

Civilization is spelled C-I-V-I-L-I-Z-A-T-I-O-N.

hear itciv·i·li·za·tion/,sɪvəlɪ'zeɪʃən/nounAcademic

What it means: A complex society at a specific time.

In a sentence: The ancient civilization built amazing pyramids.

The part people get wrong

Watch for an unstressed vowel that is hard to hear.

Also spelled: civilisation (accepted as correct).

Same family: civil, civilize, civilized, civility. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: “Civilization” comes from the Latin word *civis*, meaning “citizen,” and originally related to the life of people in cities rather than in the countryside. Over time, it came to mean an entire advanced society with its own culture, laws, and technology.

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