Agency Dictionary
Cultivation
nounPronunciation: /ˌkʌl.tɪˈveɪ.ʃən/
In Portuguese: Cultivo
Creativity & LearningWhat does “Cultivation” mean?
The act of preparing land, tending crops, or nurturing growth with patience and care. Figuratively, it describes the deliberate development of skills, habits, or relationships over time.
Etymology
Formed on the verb cultivate, on the model of French cultivation. Cultivate comes from Medieval Latin cultivare, from Late Latin cultivus, "tilled", from Latin cultus, past participle of colere, "to till, to tend, to inhabit, to honour". The same verb gave culture, cult and colony. The transfer from tilling land to developing the mind, a skill or a friendship repeats one already made in Latin, where cultura animi meant the tending of the mind.
Usage note
Land is under cultivation when crops are being grown on it. In the figurative sense the word takes of: the cultivation of taste, of a habit, of a friendship.
Synonyms
- farming
- tillage
- growing
- husbandry
- nurturing
- development
Word family
- cultivate
- cultivator
- cultivable
- cultivated
- culture
- cultivar
Rhymes with
- nation
- station
- creation
- vacation
- foundation
- relation
- education
- imagination
Usage examples
He finds joy and purpose in the craft of cultivation and agriculture because it is his livelihood.
Concepts
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Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Words of the same theme
- vocationnoun
- A strong innate inclination or sense of purpose toward a particular career, craft, or calling.
- Amalgamationnoun
- The process of combining or uniting multiple distinct elements, genres, or organizations into a single coherent body. In music, it describes fusion between traditions.
- Artisannoun
- A skilled craftsperson who manufactures tangible or digital goods with exceptional manual dexterity and care.
- artisanaladjective
- Relating to or produced by manual craftsmanship and skilled hands rather than automated mass manufacturing.
- Autodidacticadjective
- Relating to or characterized by self-directed instruction, independent learning, and mastery without formal mentors.
- Bachelornoun
- An undergraduate academic degree awarded by universities upon completion of a collegiate course of study.
- Brainstormingnoun
- A group creativity technique aimed at finding a conclusion or novel concept through spontaneous idea generation.
- concoctverb
- To invent, devise, or fabricate something novel by combining various elements or ideas.
- Conservatoirenoun
- A specialized academy or college devoted to the study and master instruction of music or other performing arts.
- Crystallizeverb
- To take definite, structured, or concrete shape after an initial period of ambiguity or fluidity.
- Disciplinenoun
- The practice of training one's mind and habits to adhere to rules, duties, and self-restraint.
- Eruditeadjective
- Characterized by great knowledge, extensive learning, and scholarly cultivation across diverse disciplines.
Also from these editions: terms
- Abyssnoun
- A deep or seemingly bottomless chasm, either in physical geography or metaphorical psychological depth. It evokes feelings of unfathomable emptiness or existential peril.
- Anesthetizingadjective
- Producing numbness, insensibility, or temporary relief from pain and critical awareness. In media studies, it describes content that pacifies audiences into mindless consumption.
- Combustionnoun
- The chemical process of burning, producing heat, light, and mechanical energy. In literary metaphors, it evokes furious velocity, explosive energy, and rapid expenditure of power.
- Fleetingadjective
- Lasting for only a very short time; brief and transient. It characterizes momentary sensory impressions, temporary fashions, and unstable social commitments.
- Livelihoodnoun
- A means of securing the necessities of life through honest occupation, craft, or employment. It represents the material and vocational foundation supporting human dignity.
- Maleficencenoun
- The practice or tendency of doing harm, evil, or mischief to others. In ethics, it represents the violation of moral duty toward human well-being.
- Malleableadjective
- Easily influenced, pliable, or capable of being reshaped without breaking. In social theory, it describes institutions and human relationships that alter continuously.
- Overdosenoun
- An excessive, dangerous dose of a medicinal, toxic, or stimulatory substance. In broader contexts, it refers to an overwhelming surfeit of sensory, emotional, or informative stimulation.
- Painkillernoun
- A medicine or agent that reduces or relieves physical or emotional suffering. Metaphorically, it refers to products that resolve acute client emergencies rather than offering optional conveniences.
- Suspicionnoun
- A feeling or thought that something is possible, likely, or true, often accompanied by mistrust or caution. It acts as an instinctual defense against perceived deceit.
- Inertianoun
- The tendency of an object to remain at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force, or a state of sluggish inaction in organizations.
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