What does civilisation mean?
The word civilisation comes from the Latin word civis, which means a city dweller, and civitas, which means a city or society. So the word points to people living together in an organised way in towns and cities. A civilisation is a stage of human society that is advanced, orderly and settled, where people build cities, follow laws, share a culture and develop knowledge.
In the Malay language the word for civilisation is tamadun, which comes from the Arabic word maddana. It carries a similar meaning: to build a town, to become refined and to live a settled life. Another related Arabic term is hadarah, which means living in a settled place rather than wandering.
From simple groups to settled life
Long ago, early humans lived as small groups of hunters who moved from place to place. Over thousands of years, some groups learned to farm, tame animals and settle beside rivers. As villages grew into towns and then cities, people needed rules, leaders and shared beliefs. This settled and organised way of life is what we call a civilisation.
- Refined living — good manners, art and religion
- Settled society — living permanently in one place
- Progress — new tools, writing and knowledge
Key idea
A civilisation (tamadun) is an advanced, orderly and settled human society. The word comes from Latin civis (city dweller) and Arabic maddana (to build a town).