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culture

n. · v.
US //ˈkəɫtʃɝ// UK //kˈʌltʃɐ// cul·ture
  1. 1 society and customs (n.)
    A2 Elementary

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

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

    Example

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

    Example

    The anthropologist spent several years living within the community to document how their unique culture influenced their judicial practices.
  2. 2 the arts (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

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

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

    Example

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

    Example

    The government increased funding for the arts, arguing that access to culture is essential for a well-rounded education.
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  1. 3 workplace or group environment (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Sociology

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

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

    Example

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

    Example

    Management initiated a series of workshops designed to shift the corporate culture toward greater transparency and employee engagement.
  2. 4 biological growth (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Science

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

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

    Example

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

    Example

    The researchers monitored the bacterial culture over forty-eight hours to observe how the new antibiotic affected the growth rate.
  3. 5 to grow bacteria (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Science

    to grow bacteria or cells in a special scientific environment.

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

    Example

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

    Example

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

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)”).

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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