English
civilisation
Civilisation comes from French civilisation ‘civilization’, from Latin cīvis ‘citizen’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱey- ‘to be lying down’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱey-‘to be lying down’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*keiwis‘society’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEceivis
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcīvis‘citizen’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcīvīlis‘civic, civil’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentcivil
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentciviliser‘to civilize’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentcivilisation‘civilization’
- Englishearliest quotation 1960same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱey-‘to be lying down’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*keiwis‘society’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEceivis
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcīvis‘citizen’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcīvīlis‘civic, civil’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentcivil
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentciviliser‘to civilize’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentcivilisation‘civilization’
- Englishearliest quotation 1960same form
Earliest quotation: 1960, G. Freeman Allen, "Condor"—British Railways' fastest freight train: “From Keighley onwards we had obviously returned to civilisation,…”
Formed from civilise + -ation
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱey- ‘to be lying down’
home, city, hide, cemetery, coma, haunt, hame, ceilidh, 31 more
through Latin ceivis
citadel, civics, civitas, 18 more
through Latin cīvis ‘citizen’
through Latin cīvīlis ‘civic, civil’
through French civilisation ‘civilization’
Today it means
noun UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong, and Commonwealth spelling of civilization.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱey- / civilisation