Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense cultivates, present participle cultivating, past tense, past participle cultivated
1. verb
If you cultivate land or crops, you prepare land and grow crops on it.
She also cultivated a small garden of her own. [VERB noun]
...the few patches of cultivated land. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: farm, work, plant, tend More Synonyms of cultivate
cultivation (kʌltɪveɪʃən)uncountable noun
...the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. [+ of]
Farmers with many acres under cultivation profited.
Synonyms: refinement, letters, learning, education More Synonyms of cultivate
Synonyms: promotion, support, encouragement, nurture More Synonyms of cultivate
Synonyms: growing, planting, production, farming More Synonyms of cultivate
Synonyms: farming, working, gardening, tilling More Synonyms of cultivate
2. verb
If you cultivate an attitude, image, or skill, you try hard to develop it and make it stronger or better.
He has written eight books and has cultivated the image of an elder statesman. [VERB noun]
Cultivating a positive mental attitude towards yourself can reap tremendous benefits. [VERB noun]
cultivationuncountable noun
...the cultivation of a positive approach to life and health. [+ of]
Synonyms: refinement, letters, learning, education More Synonyms of cultivate
Synonyms: promotion, support, encouragement, nurture More Synonyms of cultivate
Synonyms: growing, planting, production, farming More Synonyms of cultivate
Synonyms: farming, working, gardening, tilling More Synonyms of cultivate
Synonyms: development, fostering, pursuit, devotion to More Synonyms of cultivate
3. verb
If you cultivate someone or cultivate a friendship with them, you try hard to develop a friendship with them.
He may be monarch one day so we must cultivate him. [VERB noun]
The President has carefully cultivated relationships with at least five influentialministers. [VERB noun]
More Synonyms of cultivate
cultivate in British English
(ˈkʌltɪˌveɪt)
verb(transitive)
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
7. biology
to grow cells, bacteria, etc in a culture
Word origin
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
cultivate in American English
(ˈkʌltəˌveɪt)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈcultiˌvated or ˈcultiˌvating
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
Word origin
< ML cultivatus, pp. of cultivare < LL cultivus, tilled < L cultus: see cult
Examples of 'cultivate' in a sentence
cultivate
I won't set out to cultivate Mark or to make anything special of him.
Gaskin, Catherine THE AMBASSADOR'S WOMEN (2002)
I glanced down at the table and decided maybe I could cultivate a taste.
Anita Anderson SOMEBODY (2002)
He'd have to like it, cultivate it, for in that was a part of his personal safety.
Clancy, Tom WITHOUT REMORSE (2002)
In other languages
cultivate
British English: cultivate VERB
If you cultivate land or crops, you prepare land and grow crops on it.
She also cultivated a small garden of her own.
American English: cultivate
Brazilian Portuguese: cultivar
Chinese: 开垦
European Spanish: cultivar
French: cultiver
German: kultivieren
Italian: coltivare
Japanese: 耕作する
Korean: 경작하다
European Portuguese: cultivar
Latin American Spanish: cultivar
Chinese translation of 'cultivate'
cultivate
(ˈkʌltɪveɪt)
vt
[land]耕作 (gēngzuò)
[crop]种(種)植 (zhòngzhí)
(fig)
[attitude, image, skill]培养(養) (péiyǎng)
[person]结(結)交 (jiéjiāo)
[relationship]建立 (jiànlì)
1 (verb)
Definition
to grow (plants)
She cultivated a small garden of her own.
Synonyms
farm
They had farmed the same land for generations.
work
Farmers worked the fertile valleys.
plant
tend
The woman dug and tended her garden.
till
freshly tilled fields
harvest
plough
They ploughed 100,000 acres of virgin moorland.
bring under cultivation
2 (verb)
Definition
to develop or improve (something) by giving special attention to it
Try to cultivate a positive mental attitude.
Synonyms
develop
her dreams of developing her own business
establish
acquire
foster
devote yourself to
pursue
overseas graduates intending to pursue full-time research
3 (verb)
Definition
to try to develop a friendship with (a person)
He only cultivates people who may be of use to him.
Synonyms
court
The pledge to protect pensions was designed to court elderly voters.
associate with
seek out
run after
consort with
butter up
dance attendance upon
seek someone's company or friendship
take trouble or pains with
4 (verb)
Definition
to develop or improve (something) by giving special attention to it
She went out of her way to cultivate his friendship.
Synonyms
foster
They are keen to foster trading links with the West.
further
Education needn't only be about furthering your career.
forward
He forwarded their cause with courage, skill and humour.
encourage
Their task is to encourage private investment in Russia.
5 (verb)
My father encouraged me to cultivate my mind.
Synonyms
improve
He said he wanted to improve his football.
better
Our parents came here with the hope of bettering themselves.
train
We train them in bricklaying and other building techniques.
discipline
I'm very good at disciplining myself.
polish
Polish up your writing skills on a one-week course.
refine
Surgical techniques are constantly being refined.
elevate
enrich
A good book can enrich someone's life for ever.
civilize
The Teutonic Knights were invited to Prussia to civilize its lands.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of better
Definition
to improve upon
Our parents came here with the hope of bettering themselves.
Synonyms
improve,
further,
raise,
forward,
reform,
advance,
promote,
correct,
enhance,
upgrade,
amend,
mend,
rectify,
augment,
ameliorate,
meliorate
in the sense of civilize
Definition
to refine, educate, or enlighten
The Teutonic Knights were invited to Prussia to civilize its lands.
Synonyms
cultivate,
improve,
polish,
educate,
refine,
tame,
enlighten,
humanize,
sophisticate
in the sense of discipline
Definition
to improve or attempt to improve the behaviour of (oneself or someone else) by training or rules