First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
1culture
noun cul·ture \ˈkəl-chər\
: the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time
: a particular society that has its own beliefs, ways of life, art, etc.
: a way of thinking, behaving, or working that exists in a place or organization (such as a business)
Full Definition of CULTURE
1
2
: the act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties especially by education
3
: expert care and training <beauty culture>
4
a : enlightenment and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training b : acquaintance with and taste in fine arts, humanities, and broad aspects of science as distinguished from vocational and technical skills
5
a : the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations b : the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also : the characteristic features of everyday existence (as diversions or a way of life) shared by people in a place or time <popular culture> <southern culture> c : the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization <a corporate culture focused on the bottom line> d : the set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic <studying the effect of computers on print culture> <changing the culture of materialism will take time — Peggy O'Mara>
6
: the act or process of cultivating living material (as bacteria or viruses) in prepared nutrient media; also : a product of such cultivation
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Examples of CULTURE
- In this new view, genes allow the human mind to learn, remember, imitate, imprint language, absorb culture and express instincts. —Matt Ridley, Time, 2 June 2003
- Such an explanation seems sensible to a technologically advanced and ruthlessly competitive culture like our own, where anybody who fails to get at least a college degree … risks spending a life busing tables or telemarketing. —Natalie Angier, New York Times, 2 July 2002
- There is an Arctic Indian tribe, the Gwich'in—the northernmost Indians in the United States—who base their diet and culture on the caribou. —Jimmy Carter, National Geographic Traveler, October 2001
- Underlying the question “Is this as good as it gets?” was a female j'accuse—against a consumer culture where values like caring had been severely discounted. —Susan Faludi, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2001
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Origin of CULTURE
Middle English, cultivated land, cultivation, from Anglo-French, from Latin cultura, from cultus, past participle
Related to CULTURE
- Synonyms
- accomplishment, civilization, couth, cultivation, polish, refinement
- Antonyms
- barbarianism, barbarism, philistinism
Other Agriculture/Gardening Terms
2culture
verb cul·ture \ˈkəl-chər\
: to grow (something) in controlled conditions
cul·turedcul·tur·ing \ˈkəlch-riŋ, ˈkəl-chə-\
Full Definition of CULTURE
transitive verb
1
2
a : to grow in a prepared medium b : to start a culture (see 1culture)from
See culture defined for English-language learners
Origin of CULTURE
(see 1culture)
First Known Use: 1510
Other Biology Terms
CULTURE Defined for Kids
culture
noun cul·ture \ˈkəl-chər\
Definition of CULTURE for Kids
1
: cultivation 1
2
: the raising or development (as of a crop or product) by careful attention <grape culture>
3
: the appreciation and knowledge of the arts (as music, dance, and painting)
4
: the habits, beliefs, and traditions of a particular people, place, or time <Greek culture>
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