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 bill legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp (usually grown for sturdy fibers or food rather than as an intoxicant) to give farmers a new cash crop. — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

How to Plant a Plum Tree Planting a plum tree in your yard is an exciting step in the cultivation process. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 4 Aug. 2026

For a state that is only 55 years old, the cultivation of a national identity finds an obstacle in its very rapid growth. — Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 3 Aug. 2026

The wilderness receded once more; fertile lands were brought back under cultivation, drained, replanted. — Literary Hub, 30 July 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