English Reference
noun · verb

culture

n. · v.
US /ˈkəɫtʃɝ/ UK /kˈʌltʃɐ/ cul·ture UK spelling cultures

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    n.the habits, traditions, and beliefs of a specific group of people or a country.

    n.the collective customs, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or social group.

    Simple

    When moving to a new country, it takes time to learn the local culture and language.

    In context

    The anthropologist spent several years living within the community to document how their unique culture influenced their judicial practices.

  2. 02 B1 Intermediate

    n.music, art, theatre, and literature that are thought to be important and educational.

    n.the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively.

    Simple

    The city is famous for its culture, with many museums and opera houses.

    In context

    The government increased funding for the arts, arguing that access to culture is essential for a well-rounded education.

    the artscivilizationhigh society
  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate Sociology

    n.the shared values and way of behaving within a specific company or organization.

    n.the attitudes and behavior characteristic of a particular social group or organization.

    Simple

    The company has a very friendly culture where everyone helps each other.

    In context

    Management initiated a series of workshops designed to shift the corporate culture toward greater transparency and employee engagement.

  4. 04 C1 Advanced Technical Science

    n.a group of bacteria or cells grown in a laboratory for medical or scientific study.

    n.a preparation of cells or microorganisms grown in an artificial medium for scientific or medical purposes.

    Simple

    The doctor sent a throat culture to the lab to see if I had an infection.

    In context

    The researchers monitored the bacterial culture over forty-eight hours to observe how the new antibiotic affected the growth rate.

  5. 05 C1 Advanced Technical Science

    v.to grow bacteria or cells in a special scientific environment.

    v.to maintain microorganisms or living tissue in a medium suitable for growth.

    Simple

    Scientists culture these cells to test how they react to different medicines.

    In context

    The laboratory technicians were able to culture the rare fungus under strictly controlled temperature and humidity conditions.

Usage culture war · culture wars · create culture


From Middle French culture (“cultivation; culture”), from Latin cultūra (“cultivation; culture”), from cultus, perfect passive participle of colō (“till, cultivate, to grow, worship”) (related to colōnus and colōnia), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷel- (“to move; to turn (around)”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin ine-pro *kʷel-
Level A1 · Beginner
Frequency Very common
Updated