Cultivated
ˈkʌltɪveɪtɪd
Definitions
3 meaningsTo prepare land for the growing of crops.
ˈkʌltɪveɪt
To prepare and use land for growing crops.
The farmers cultivated the fields with tractors and plows.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're planting a garden. Cultivating is like all the things you do to get the soil ready so your plants can grow strong and healthy.
👶 For kids: Making the ground ready for plants to grow.
More Examples
They cultivated the land for planting corn.
How It's Used
"Farmers cultivate the land to grow food."
To improve or develop (something, such as a talent or quality).
ˈkʌltɪveɪt
To nurture and improve (plants, animals, or human qualities).
The teacher cultivated a positive learning environment in the classroom.
💡 Simply: Like watering a plant to help it grow, cultivating is about putting in effort to make something better. Like cultivating your guitar skills or cultivating a good friendship.
👶 For kids: Helping something grow bigger and better, like helping a flower grow or helping your skills get better.
More Examples
She cultivated her knowledge of French by living in Paris for a year.
He cultivated a strong work ethic.
How It's Used
"Gardeners cultivate rare flowers for their beauty."
"She cultivated her artistic talent through practice."
Refined and educated; having or showing good manners, taste, and a high level of education.
ˈkʌltɪveɪtɪd
Refined and well-educated.
She had a cultivated taste in art and music.
💡 Simply: Imagine someone who has really good manners and knows a lot about art, music, and literature. That person is cultivated!
👶 For kids: Someone who is polite and knows a lot of things.
More Examples
The cultivated gentleman always used proper etiquette.
They appreciated the cultivated atmosphere of the museum.
How It's Used
"He had a cultivated air, speaking with refined manners."
From Latin *cultivātus*, past participle of *cultivāre* "to till, cultivate," from *cultus*, past participle of *colere* "to till, cultivate, inhabit, frequent; respect, revere." The meaning of "to improve by study or training" developed later.
The word 'cultivated' has been used since the 15th century to refer to the act of tilling the land. Its metaphorical use, referring to the improvement of qualities or skills, emerged later, especially in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Memory tip
Think of a farmer actively working the land to grow crops – this is cultivating.
Practice
Word Origin
Root: colere