English Reference
adjective

multicultural

adj.
US /ˌməɫtiˈkəɫtʃɝəɫ/ UK /mˌʌltɪkˈʌltʃəɹəl/ mul·ti·cul·tur·al

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    relating to a society where people from many different cultures live together.

    relating to or representing several distinct cultural or ethnic groups within a society.

    Simple

    London is a multicultural city where you can hear dozens of languages every day.

    In context

    The university prides itself on its multicultural campus, hosting students from over one hundred different nations each academic year.

    diversepluralisticmultiethnic
    monoculturalhomogeneous
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    describing a family or group where the members come from different ethnic backgrounds.

    pertaining to groups, households, or families involving individuals of different or mixed ethnicities.

    Simple

    Growing up in a multicultural family meant we celebrated holidays from both parents' countries.

    In context

    The documentary explores the unique dynamics of multicultural households in urban centers and how they navigate competing linguistic traditions.

You can view it as a seductive and funny comment on our big, beautiful, multicultural world.

The Guardian· 10 Sept 2026

From multiculture + -al or multi- + cultural.

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

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated