Culture

//ˈkʌlt͡ʃə// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The arts, customs, lifestyles, background, and habits that characterize humankind, or a particular society or nation. countable, uncountable

    "Castration of bulls was a socialization process that turned a bull into an ox; in this transformation something wild became something very useful; nature became culture."

  2. 2
    the raising of plants or animals wordnet
  3. 3
    The beliefs, values, behaviour, and material objects that constitute a people's way of life. countable, uncountable

    "I condemn neither way; but culture works differently. It does not try to teach down to the level of inferior classes; it does not try to win them for this or that sect of its own, with ready-made judgments and watchwords. It seeks to do away with classes; to make the best that has been thought and known in the world current everywhere; […]"

  4. 4
    (biology) the growing of microorganisms in a nutrient medium (such as gelatin or agar) wordnet
  5. 5
    The conventional conducts and ideologies of a community; the system comprising the accepted norms and values of a society. countable, uncountable

    "Few concepts are as emotionally charged as that of race. The word conjures up a mixture of associations—culture, ethnicity, genetics, subjugation, exclusion and persecution."

Show 13 more definitions
  1. 6
    the tastes in art and manners that are favored by a social group wordnet
  2. 7
    Any knowledge passed from one generation to the next, not necessarily with respect to human beings. countable, uncountable
  3. 8
    all the knowledge and values shared by a society wordnet
  4. 9
    Cultivation. countable, uncountable

    "http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/suffolk/grownet/flowers/sprgbulb.htm The Culture of Spring-Flowering Bulbs"

  5. 10
    the attitudes and behavior that are characteristic of a particular social group or organization wordnet
  6. 11
    The process of growing a bacterial or other biological entity in an artificial medium. countable, uncountable
  7. 12
    a particular society at a particular time and place wordnet
  8. 13
    The growth thus produced. countable, uncountable

    "I'm headed to the lab to make sure my cell culture hasn't died."

  9. 14
    a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality wordnet
  10. 15
    A group of bacteria. countable, uncountable
  11. 16
    The details on a map that do not represent natural features of the area delineated, such as names and the symbols for towns, roads, meridians, and parallels. countable, uncountable
  12. 17
    Ellipsis of archaeological culture (“recurring assemblage of artifacts from a specific time and place that may constitute the material culture remains of a particular past human society”). abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable
  13. 18
    Ethnicity, race (and its associated arts, customs, etc.) countable, euphemistic, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    to maintain in an environment suitable for growth (especially of bacteria) (compare cultivate) transitive
  2. 2
    grow in a special preparation wordnet
  3. 3
    to increase the artistic or scientific interest (in something) (compare cultivate) transitive

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle French culture (“cultivation; culture”), from Latin cultūra (“cultivation; culture”), from cultus, perfect passive participle of colō (“till, cultivate, to grow, worship”) (related to colōnus and colōnia), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷel- (“to move; to turn (around)”).

Etymology 2

From Middle French culture (“cultivation; culture”), from Latin cultūra (“cultivation; culture”), from cultus, perfect passive participle of colō (“till, cultivate, to grow, worship”) (related to colōnus and colōnia), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷel- (“to move; to turn (around)”).

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