cultivate

[kuhl-tuh-veyt]

verb (used with object)

cultivated, cultivating 

1. to prepare and work on (land) in order to raise crops; till.

2. to use a cultivator on.

3. to promote or improve the growth of (a plant, crop, etc.) by labor and attention.

4. to produce by culture.

   to cultivate a strain of bacteria.

5. to develop or improve by education or training; train; refine.

   to cultivate a singing voice.

6. to promote the growth or development of (an art, science, etc.); foster.

7. to devote oneself to (an art, science, etc.).

8. to seek to promote or foster (friendship, love, etc.).

9. to seek the acquaintance or friendship of (a person).

cultivate

/ ˈkʌltɪˌveɪt /

verb

1. to till and prepare (land or soil) for the growth of crops

2. to plant, tend, harvest, or improve (plants) by labour and skill

3. to break up (land or soil) with a cultivator or hoe

4. to improve or foster (the mind, body, etc) as by study, education, or labour

5. to give special attention to

   to cultivate a friendship

   to cultivate a hobby

6. to give or bring culture to (a person, society, etc); civilize

Other Word Forms

• overcultivate verb (used with object)
• precultivate verb (used with object)
• recultivate verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of cultivate¹

First recorded in 1610–20; from Medieval Latin cultīvātus, past participle of cultīvāre “to till,” equivalent to cultīv(us) “tilled,” derivative of Latin colere “to inhabit, till” + -īvus -ive + -āre, infinitive suffix; cult

Word History and Origins

Origin of cultivate¹

C17: from Medieval Latin cultivāre to till, from Old French cultiver, from Medieval Latin cultīvus cultivable, from Latin cultus cultivated, from colere to till, toil over

Example Sentences

The American family reeled as children dwindled into crouched obsessives, scrolling and snapping and cultivating likes.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

The president, his business and his family have long cultivated close ties with Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

He said Beijing has little desire to control the U.N. system and instead is cultivating committees to gain influence over emerging standards, such as AI governance.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Still, locals have managed to cultivate their kitchen gardens.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Weiss has cultivated a reputation as a reasonable dissident, eliding outright partisanship and granting her the appearance of neutrality while claiming the mantle to question progressive orthodoxy.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• breed 
• fertilize 
• harvest 
• manage 
• plant 
• prepare 
• propagate 
• raise 
• tend 

When To Use

What does cultivate mean?

When used literally, cultivate means to take steps to grow something or improve its growth, especially crops. When used figuratively, it means much the same thing, except that the thing being grown or improved is often an abstract thing, such as a business or a friendship.The literal sense of cultivate is most often used in the context of agriculture, but it can also refer to things being grown in a laboratory. Its figurative sense can apply to many different things, such as relationships, skills, and even cultures.Example: Farmers have cultivated a variety of crops in this region.