cultivate

English

Etymology

From Medieval Latin cultivātus, perfect passive participle of cultivō (“till, cultivate”), from cultīvus (“tilled”), from Latin cultus, perfect passive participle of colō (“till, cultivate”), which comes from earlier *quelō, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷel- (“to move; to turn (around)”). Cognates include Ancient Greek πέλω (pélō) and Sanskrit चरति (cárati). The same Proto-Indo-European root also gave Latin in-quil-īnus (“inhabitant”) and anculus (“servant”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈkʌltɪveɪt/
  • Hyphenation: cul‧ti‧vate
  • Audio (US)(file)

Verb

cultivate (third-person singular simple present cultivates, present participle cultivating, simple past and past participle cultivated)

  1. To grow plants, notably crops
    Most farmers in this region cultivate maize.
  2. To nurture; to foster; to tend.
    They tried to cultivate an interest in learning among their students.
  3. To turn or stir soil in preparation for planting.

Derived terms

Translations
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Translations to be checked

Interlingua

Participle

cultivate

  1. past participle of cultivar
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