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cultivate

KUL-tuh-vayt /ˈkʌl.tɪ.veɪt/

verbB2GRESATTOEFLIELTS

academicformal

To foster, grow, or develop a skill, quality, relationship, or mindset through deliberate care and effort.

Implies intentional, long-term, step-by-step preparation and sustained effort, like tending a delicate crop.

The story behind the word. Originates from Medieval Latin 'cultivare', stemming from classical Latin 'colere', which meant to till soil, dwell in, or honor. Over time, the metaphor shifted naturally from preparing fields for seeds to shaping human minds and refined habits.

Word relationships

foster: 'Foster' emphasizes protecting and encouraging growth, while 'cultivate' emphasizes deliberate preparation and disciplined care.

neglect: To ignore or fail to care for something, causing it to wither or stall.

Commonly confused with

nurture: Cultivate focuses on deliberate conditioning, training, and preparing ground for development, while nurture focuses on supplying emotional warmth or essential sustenance.

Word family

cultivation (noun): The process of promoting or developing something through intentional effort.
cultivated (adjective): Refined, educated, or nurtured through disciplined study.

Collocations

cultivate skills
cultivate relationships
cultivate habits
cultivate an interest

Idioms & expressions

cultivate a persona

Example sentences

"Effective educators cultivate critical thinking by asking open-ended questions rather than lecturing." Professional Development Context
"We must cultivate our garden." Classic Literature Citation (Voltaire, Candide (1759))

Memory hook

To CULTIVATE is to care for CULTures in a lab or crops in a field. Till the soil to grow talent.

When not to use

Do not use for sudden, accidental, or instantaneous developments.

Fun facts

The words 'culture', 'cult', and 'agriculture' all spring from the exact same Latin root 'colere'.