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cultivate

KUL-ih-vayt /ˈkʌltɪveɪt/

verbB2GRESATTOEFLIELTS

generalacademicprofessional

To prepare and use land for crops, or metaphorically, to try to acquire, develop, or nurture a quality, skill, or relationship.

Implies deliberate, long-term effort, care, and systematic work to help something grow from a seed or raw state into something refined and productive.

The story behind the word. From the Medieval Latin 'cultivare', which derives from the classical Latin 'colere', meaning 'to till, tend, or inhabit.' This is the same root that gives us 'culture' and 'agriculture', reinforcing the idea that refinement of the mind is like farming the soil.

Word relationships

develop: Develop is a broad term for growth, while cultivate emphasizes the deliberate care, weeding, and nurturing required for that growth.
foster: Foster means to encourage development, whereas cultivate implies a more hands-on, continuous, and systematic effort.

neglect: Neglect means to ignore or fail to care for, leading to decay, whereas cultivate means to actively work to improve.

Commonly confused with

exploit: Exploit means to use something selfishly for immediate gain, whereas cultivate means to invest care for long-term sustainable growth.

Word family

cultivation (noun): The act of cultivating or the state of being cultivated.
cultivated (adjective): Refined and well-educated.

Collocations

cultivate a habit
cultivate a relationship
cultivate talent
cultivate land

Idioms & expressions

cultivate an image (to deliberately try to make people have a particular opinion of you)

Example sentences

"It is essential to cultivate relationships with colleagues across different departments, not just your own." Advice on professional networking.
"Throughout his life, he sought to cultivate a deep appreciation for classical literature and philosophy." A biography of an intellectual.

Memory hook

To cultivate is to treat your mind or relationships like a 'cultivated' garden—watering, weeding, and waiting. Cultivate: Farm your skills and relationships with care.

When not to use

Do not use for sudden, effortless, or accidental acquisitions of skills or relationships.

Fun facts

The Roman philosopher Cicero was the first to use the agricultural metaphor for the mind, coining the term 'cultura animi' (culture of the soul).