How to pronounce civilisation
Say it like siv-ih-lih-ZAY-shun. Civilisation has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the fourth one (ZAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce civilisation. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- siv
- ih
- lih
- ZAY
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Civilisation pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- sivGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- lihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ZAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of civilisation
American and British speakers say civilisation in essentially the same way: /ˌsɪvɪlɪˈzeɪʃən/ in the US and /ˌsɪvɪlaɪˈzeɪʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: siv-ih-ly-ZAY-shun.
What does civilisation mean?
- UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong, and Commonwealth spelling of civilization.
Where does civilisation come from?
Borrowed from French civilization, equivalent to civilize + -ation or civil + -isation.
Words that rhyme with civilisation
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of civilisation.
Questions about saying civilisation
How do you pronounce civilisation?
Say siv-ih-lih-ZAY-shun. The American pronunciation is /ˌsɪvɪlɪˈzeɪʃən/. In British English it is /ˌsɪvɪlaɪˈzeɪʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in civilisation?
Civilisation has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the fourth one (ZAY). Broken into parts: siv · ih · lih · ZAY · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say civilisation the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌsɪvɪlɪˈzeɪʃən/ and the British form is /ˌsɪvɪlaɪˈzeɪʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.