cultivation

noun

cul·​ti·​va·​tion ˌkəl-tə-ˈvā-shən 

1

: culture, refinement

2

: the act or art of cultivating or tilling

Synonyms of cultivation

• culture
• education
• civilization
• accomplishment
• refinement
• knowledge
• literacy
• manners

Examples of cultivation in a Sentence

people of cultivation appreciate the special experience that only live theater can provide

Recent Examples on the Web

The facility uses artificial lighting, intelligent cultivation systems and low-carbon energy to maintain the crops. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2026

China’s cultivation of trade ties with Latin America’s largest economy isn’t new. — Michelle Velez, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026

When those latter options get sucked up by the youth sports industrial complex, communities are left with a vacuum for talent cultivation for families who cannot afford to pay thousands of dollars a year for their child to play. — Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2026

Annual cultivation — the plow, plant, harvest and repeat cycle — strains soil formation, which takes thousands of years and rapidly degrades the farmland. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1553, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing cultivation

• co-cultivation
• self-cultivation

Rhymes for cultivation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

cultivation

noun

cul·​ti·​va·​tion ˌkəl-tə-ˈvā-shən 

1

: the act or art of cultivating especially the soil

2

: refinement sense 2

Medical Definition

cultivation

noun

cul·​ti·​va·​tion ˌkəl-tə-ˈvā-shən 

: culture sense 2