seedbed of civilization
noun phraseUK /ˈsiːd.bɛd əv ˌsɪv.əl.aɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/
US /ˈsiːd.bɛd əv ˌsɪv.əl.əˈzeɪ.ʃən/
A place where the first big human societies began to grow.
Ancient Mesopotamia is often called the seedbed of civilization.
SYNONYMS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A place where new ideas or ways of living first start and spread.
The university became a seedbed of civilization for the whole region.
3. A region where early farming and towns first appeared.
River valleys were the seedbed of civilization in many parts of the world.
4. A source from which a culture or society grows and develops.
Trade routes served as a seedbed of civilization, mixing peoples and customs.