# culture

/ˈkəɫtʃɝ/ (US) · /kˈʌltʃɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/culture
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. society and customs

noun · CEFR A2

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

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

- When moving to a new country, it takes time to learn the local culture and language.
- The anthropologist spent several years living within the community to document how their unique culture influenced their judicial practices.

### 2. the arts

noun · CEFR B1

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

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

- The city is famous for its culture, with many museums and opera houses.
- The government increased funding for the arts, arguing that access to culture is essential for a well-rounded education.

### 3. workplace or group environment

noun · CEFR B2

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

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

- The company has a very friendly culture where everyone helps each other.
- Management initiated a series of workshops designed to shift the corporate culture toward greater transparency and employee engagement.

### 4. biological growth

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

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

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

- The doctor sent a throat culture to the lab to see if I had an infection.
- The researchers monitored the bacterial culture over forty-eight hours to observe how the new antibiotic affected the growth rate.

### 5. to grow bacteria

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to grow bacteria or cells in a special scientific environment.

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

- Scientists culture these cells to test how they react to different medicines.
- The laboratory technicians were able to culture the rare fungus under strictly controlled temperature and humidity conditions.

## Examples

- I love learning about Japanese culture.
- The new manager is trying to change the company culture to be more inclusive and collaborative.
- While the archaeological record provides physical evidence of the civilization, its intangible culture—such as oral traditions and religious rituals—remains largely a matter of scholarly interpretation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.