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cultivate definition

cul·ti·vate (kul′tə vāt′)

transitive verb cultivated -·vat′ed, cultivating -·vat′·ing

  1. to prepare and use (soil or land) for growing crops; till
  2. to break up the surface soil around (plants) in order to destroy weeds, prevent crusting, and preserve moisture
  3. to grow (plants, crops, fish, etc.) from seeds, bulbs, shoots, etc.
  4. to improve or develop (plants) by various horticultural techniques
  5. to improve by care, training, or study; refine to cultivate one's mind
  6. to promote the development or growth of; acquire and develop to cultivate a taste for music
  7. to seek to develop familiarity with; give one's attention to; pursue

Etymology: < ML cultivatus, pp. of cultivare < LL cultivus, tilled < L cultus: see cult

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

cultivate Synonyms

cultivate

v.

  1. To plant

    till, plow, work the soil, grow; see farm, grow 3, plant, plow 1.

  2. To educate

    nurture, refine, improve; see civilize, teach 1, 2.

  3. To encourage

    advance, further, foster, develop; see develop 1, encourage 1, promote 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

cultivate Usage Examples

Object

  • cannabis: The gang used hydroponics growing systems to cultivate the cannabis.

Preposition: on

  • farm: The best mussels are either found well offshore and away from sources of pollution or are cultivated on mussel farms under very controlled conditions.

Subject

  • Roman: An attractive plant display area contains a range of plants known to have been cultivated by the Romans.

Modifying Another Word

  • intensively: In the area around Barcelona vegetables and fruit are intensively cultivated.

Preposition: in

  • garden: It is still cultivated in the gardens of the Fayûm.

Preposition: for

  • production: A fruit tree is defined as a tree cultivated for the production of fruit, such as apples, pears, plums and cherries.

Preposition: by

  • Roman: An attractive plant display area contains a range of plants known to have been cultivated by the Romans.
cultivate usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

cultivate quotes

Cultivate simplicity,Coleridge.

-Lamb, Charles

cultivate quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"cultivate." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/cultivate>

APA Style

cultivate. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/cultivate

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