cultivate
Use Cultivate in a sentence
təˌveɪt verb (used with object), cul·ti·vat·ed, cul·ti·vat·ing.
1.
to prepare and work on (land) in order to raise crops; till.
2.
to use a cultivator on.
3.
to promote or improve the growth of (a plant, crop, etc.) by labor and attention.
4.
to produce by culture: to cultivate a strain of bacteria.
5.
to develop or improve by education or training; train; refine: to cultivate a singing voice.
Origin:
1610–20; < Medieval Latin cultīvātus (past participle of cultīvāre to till), equivalent to cultīv(us) (Latin cult(us), past participle of colere to care for, till (cf. cult) + -īvus -ive) + -ātus -ate1
1610–20; < Medieval Latin cultīvātus (past participle of cultīvāre to till), equivalent to cultīv(us) (Latin cult(us), past participle of colere to care for, till (cf. cult) + -īvus -ive) + -ātus -ate1
Related forms
o·ver·cul·ti·vate, verb (used with object), o·ver·cul·ti·vat·ed, o·ver·cul·ti·vat·ing.
pre·cul·ti·vate, verb (used with object), pre·cul·ti·vat·ed, pre·cul·ti·vat·ing.
re·cul·ti·vate, verb (used with object), re·cul·ti·vat·ed, re·cul·ti·vat·ing.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To cultivate
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Cultivate
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
cultivate (ˈkʌltɪˌveɪt) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 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 |
| [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] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
cultivate
1620, from M.L. cultivatus, pp. of cultivare, from L.L. cultivus "tilled," from L. cultus (see cult). Figurative sense of "improve by training or education" is from 1680s.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Cite This Source
Example sentences
Eventually, a railroad was built through the town, which brought farmers to cultivate the land.
Too busy to nurture his inner angst and cultivate his insanity.
And our pedagogical challenge will be to combine hyper attention with deep attention and to cultivate both.
Employers who provide for mental health care may cultivate a better balance sheet as well as a happier lunch room.
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