cultivation

American  

[kuhl-tuh-vey-shuhn] / ˌkʌl təˈveɪ ʃən /

noun

cultivations plural

1. the act or art of cultivating.

2. the state of being cultivated.

3. culture; refinement.

   Synonyms:

   taste, breeding, gentility

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cultivation British  

/ ˌkʌltɪˈveɪʃən /

noun

1. agriculture

   1. the planting, tending, improving, or harvesting of crops or plants

   2. the preparation of ground to promote their growth

2. development, esp through education, training, etc

3. culture or sophistication, esp social refinement

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Usage

What does cultivation mean? Cultivation is the act of growing something or improving its growth, especially crops. Cultivation can also be used in a more figurative way to refer to the same kind of process, except that the thing being grown or improved is often an abstract thing, such as a business or a friendship. Cultivation is a noun form of the verb cultivate. The literal sense of cultivation 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 the development of many different things, such as relationships, skills, and even cultures. Example: The rich soil in this region is ideal for the cultivation of a variety of crops.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• noncultivation
  noun
• overcultivation
  noun
• precultivation
  noun
• recultivation
  noun
• self-cultivation
  noun
• uncultivation
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cultivations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cultivation

First recorded in 1690–1700; cultivate + -ion

Explanation

Cultivation is the act of caring for or raising plants. Your desire to grow your own fruits and vegetables in the backyard means you'll be engaged in some heavy cultivation. The word cultivation is most often used to talk about the ways that farmers take care of crops. However, in a more general sense, the verb cultivate means to improve or train someone or something. You could participate in the cultivation of your little brother by paying for him to take tango lessons and teaching him how to play chess. Or perhaps you might start by simply teaching him how to sip and not slurp his soup.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cultivation cultivations

Thanks to cultivation techniques, the Huntington coaxes the plants to bloom every two to three years, not four to six like they do in their natural habitat, where they’re endangered.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

Food labeled as organic in the state of California has to be registered with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and conform to principles of cultivation.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 1, 2026

In the 19th century’s first four decades, Chapman traveled, mostly on foot, throughout western Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana, bringing seeds and methods of cultivation to settlers flooding the region.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026

The cultivation of orchids is a resource heavy business.

From BBC ● May 14, 2026

Very little of the Sanchez, now Trask, place was under cultivation, but Adam in his mind could see the wheat growing tall and squares of green alfalfa near the river.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

The new program will attempt to prosecute underlying labor crimes, environmental crimes and the underground economy centered around the illicit cultivations, said Attorney General Rob Bonta.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 11, 2022

Rowe said she and other officials want to fund an eradication campaign that “will come down so hard and so often on these cultivations that they won’t be able to survive.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2021

Today, any Franklinia trees you might encounter in cemeteries, gardens and parks are descendants of Mr. Bartram’s cultivations.

From New York Times ● Oct. 16, 2020

The new cultivations are challenging long-held beliefs in some conservative communities, including this one, where a rural libertarian streak is confronting a crop still stigmatized despite its legality.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 14, 2018

But the general rule is, the more cultivations, the more cotton.

From The Fabric of Civilization A Short Survey of the Cotton Industry in the United States by Guaranty Trust Company of New York

Related Words

• farming
• gardening
• horticulture
• planting