Civilization (or civilisation) is a sometimes controversial term that has been used in several related ways. Primarily, the term has been used to refer to human cultures that are complex in terms of technology, science, and division of labor. Such civilizations are generally urbanized. In classical contexts civilized peoples were called this in contrast to “barbarian” peoples, while in modern contexts civilized peoples have been contrasted to “primitive” peoples.

In modern academic discussions however, there is a tendency to use the term in a less strict way to mean approximately the same thing as “culture” and can therefore refer more broadly to any important and clearly defined human society, particularly in historical discussions. Still, even when used in this second sense, the word is often restricted to apply only to societies that have attained a particular level of advancement, especially the founding of cities, with the word “city” defined in various ways.

Source: Wikipedia, Link