civ ‧ i ‧ lize BrE AmE ( also civilise British English ) /ˈsɪv ə l-aɪz/ verb [transitive]
1 . to influence someone’s behaviour, making or teaching them to act in a more sensible or gentle way:
The missionaries went out to civilize other places.
2 . to improve a society so that it is more organized and developed, and often more fair or comfortable:
Ellis was credited with civilizing the Texas prison system.