Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

cultural

American  
[kuhl-cher-uhl] / ˈkʌl tʃər əl /

adjective

  1. of or relating to culture or cultivation.


cultural British  
/ ˈkʌltʃərəl /

adjective

  1. of or relating to artistic or social pursuits or events considered to be valuable or enlightened

  2. of or relating to a culture or civilization

  3. (of certain varieties of plant) obtained by specialized breeding

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of cultural

First recorded in 1865–70; culture + -al 1

Explanation

The adjective cultural comes from the noun "culture" but has several, subtly different meanings, depending on context. The chief meaning is anything having to do human intellectual or creative output. The word cultural is often used as a synonym for "ethnic," as in, "cultural diversity," which means a variety of people. But it also means having to do with the arts and creativity. When you move, you'll want to move somewhere with a vibrant cultural life—lots of museums, libraries, and concert halls. In the middle is a term like "cultural anthropology," which is the study of a population's work, arts, lifestyles, and ways of interacting.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing cultural

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "cultural" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com