The definition for the word, civilized, originates from describing a person or culture that has abandoned a nomadic culture to live in relatively permanent communities described as cities, towns, and villages. The other usages of civilized then tend to be comparative between the social customs of the more civilized and uncivilized cultures to the more civilized and more technologically advanced cultures. Among Amerindian cultures, one Amerinidan culture discriminated against another Amerindian culture by describing its own culture as civilized and the enemy culture as uncivilizedd because of differences in ethnic origins, language, and cultural habits.
Not that i'm disagreeing with you, mind
As you correctly point out, the other definition is relative.