cultivar

noun

cul·​ti·​var ˈkəl-tə-ˌvär How to pronounce cultivar (audio)
-ˌver
: an organism and especially one of an agricultural or horticultural variety or strain originating and persistent under cultivation

Examples of cultivar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This same quality is reflected in its unique cannabis cultivars. Lindsey Bartlett, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024 Many rice cultivars are named for the female ancestors who escaped and carried seeds off plantations in their hair. Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Feb. 2024 On the other hand, some cultivars were noticeably snubbed by pollinators. Tovah Martin, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024 Not to mention, Coffea arabica (the most popular cultivar) grows and thrives only in a few places in the world. Jaina Grey, WIRED, 7 Mar. 2024 But thornless, seedless cultivars have been developed. Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 24 Nov. 2023 Pecans need cross-pollination between a compatible pair of cultivars to produce a crop. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 18 Jan. 2024 Zone 3-9 'Purple King' This is a cultivar of Erythronium dens-canis, the only species of dog tooth lily native to central and southern Europe. Nadia Hassani, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Jan. 2024 Some cultivars might be self-pollinating, but those are probably in the minority and likely still would benefit from a second, different cultivar as its pollination partner. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 18 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cultivar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

cultivated + variety

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cultivar was in 1923

Dictionary Entries Near cultivar

Cite this Entry

“Cultivar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cultivar. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

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