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cultivate

KUHL-tih-vayt /ˈkʌltɪveɪt/

verbB1SATACTIELTSTOEFL

generalacademic

To prepare and use land for crops or gardening; to break up soil to improve structure and promote growth.

Can mean the physical act of tilling soil, the biological act of growing plants, or metaphorically, developing a skill or relationship.

The story behind the word. The Latin root 'colere' is incredibly rich; it meant to till the earth, but also to inhabit a place, and even to worship (giving us 'cult' and 'culture'). In the 17th century, English adopted 'cultivate' to describe the physical act of preparing land for crops, which soon blossomed into the metaphorical sense of refining the mind or nurturing relationships.

Word relationships

till: Till specifically refers to the mechanical turning and breaking up of soil, while cultivate is broader, encompassing soil preparation, planting, and nurturing.
foster: Foster means to encourage development (usually metaphorical), while cultivate can apply to both physical agriculture and metaphorical growth.

neglect: Neglect is to leave completely untended, whereas cultivate is to actively tend and nurture.

Commonly confused with

harvest: To cultivate is to prepare and grow, while to harvest is to gather the mature crops at the end of the cycle.

Word family

cultivation (noun): The act of preparing land or growing crops.
cultivator (noun): A tool or machine used to loosen soil, or a person who cultivates.

Collocations

cultivate soil
cultivate crops
cultivate a garden
cultivate relationships

Example sentences

"We must cultivate our garden." A classic philosophical statement on life and work. (Voltaire, Candide)
"Before sowing the seeds, you must thoroughly cultivate the soil to break up large clumps and allow for air circulation." A modern organic farming manual.

Memory hook

Think of 'culture'—a highly 'cultivated' person has spent time growing their mind, just like a gardener 'cultivates' the soil to grow plants. Cultivate is to care, prepare, and grow.

When not to use

Do not use when you only mean 'to plant' a single seed; cultivate implies a broader, ongoing process of nurturing, preparing, and caring for the growth environment.

Fun facts

The words 'culture', 'agriculture', 'cult', and 'colony' all share the exact same Latin root, 'colere', linking human settlement, worship, and farming together.