French coinage from 1756, from Latin 'civis' (citizen) — barely 270 years old, an Enlightenment invention.
The stage of human social and cultural development considered most advanced; a complex society characterized by urban development, social stratification, government, and cultural achievements.
From French 'civilisation' (first attested 1756 in the Marquis de Mirabeau's 'L'Ami des hommes'), from 'civiliser' (to civilize), from Latin 'cīvīlis' (relating to a citizen), from 'cīvis' (citizen), from PIE *ḱey- (to lie down, settle, home). The word was coined during the Enlightenment to describe the process by which societies progress from 'savagery' through 'barbarism' to the refinement of civic life. Before its coinage, French and English used 'police' or 'politeness
The word 'civilization' is surprisingly recent — it was coined in 1756 by the French economist Marquis de Mirabeau (father of the revolutionary). Before that, Europeans had no single word for the concept. The Romans managed to build one of history's greatest civilizations without having a word for 'civilization' itself.