noun
history of civilization
Academic term referring to the historical study of civilizations, their development, and cultural achievements.
彼は大学で文明史を専攻している。
He is majoring in the history of civilization at university.
この本は世界の文明史をわかりやすく解説している。
This book explains the history of world civilizations in an easy-to-understand way.
文化史 is 'cultural history', focusing on cultural aspects, whereas 文明史 encompasses broader civilizational development including technology, institutions, and social structures.
Compound of 文明 (civilization) and 史 (history). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning.