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Synonyms

cultivation

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

noun

  1. the act or art of cultivating.

  2. the state of being cultivated. cultivated.

  3. culture; refinement.

    Synonyms:
    taste, breeding, gentility

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

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

Etymology

Origin of cultivation

First recorded in 1690–1700; cultivate + -ion

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The garden charity hopes the now rare salmon-pink flower will be able to be bred and returned to wider cultivation before it disappears entirely.

From BBC

However, other than Revueltas’ fictional account, the story of the laborers, their movement’s successes and the astonishing cultivation of the desert lands had been lost to history — until now.

From Los Angeles Times

This marks a break from the traditional practice of shifting cultivation, which involves clearing a new patch of forest each year -- fuelling conflicts in a region facing rapid population growth.

From Barron's

It hopes Israeli help can significantly boost the amount of land under cultivation from its current level of just 3 percent.

From Barron's

But for many farmers mango cultivation has, in recent years, become more challenging.

From BBC