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c
: the set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic
d
: the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations
3
: the act or process of cultivating living material (such as bacteria or viruses) in prepared nutrient media
also
: a product of such cultivation
cultured; culturing
ˈkəlch-riŋ 
ˈkəl-chə-
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Noun
In this new view, genes allow the human mind to learn, remember, imitate, imprint language, absorb culture and express instincts.
—
Matt Ridley, Time, 2 June 2003
Such an explanation seems sensible to a technologically advanced and ruthlessly competitive culture like our own, where anybody who fails to get at least a college degree … risks spending a life busing tables or telemarketing.
—Natalie Angier, New York Times, 2 July 2002
Underlying the question "Is this as good as it gets?" was a female j'accuse—against a consumer culture where values like caring had been severely discounted.
—Susan Faludi, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2001
a study of Greek language and culture
Her art shows the influence of pop culture.
It's important to learn about other cultures.
The company's corporate culture is focused on increasing profits.
an area that has been criticized for its lack of culture
Verb
The virus is cultured in the laboratory from samples of infected tissue.
culture bacteria in laboratory dishes
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Matt Ridley, Time, 2 June 2003
Such an explanation seems sensible to a technologically advanced and ruthlessly competitive culture like our own, where anybody who fails to get at least a college degree … risks spending a life busing tables or telemarketing.
—Natalie Angier, New York Times, 2 July 2002
Underlying the question "Is this as good as it gets?" was a female j'accuse—against a consumer culture where values like caring had been severely discounted.
—Susan Faludi, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2001
a study of Greek language and culture
Her art shows the influence of pop culture.
It's important to learn about other cultures.
The company's corporate culture is focused on increasing profits.
an area that has been criticized for its lack of culture
Verb
The virus is cultured in the laboratory from samples of infected tissue.
culture bacteria in laboratory dishes
See More
Recent Examples on the WebMichael Klein, SPIN, 30 Jan. 2023
Providing flexibility to work in the location(s) of one’s choosing significantly improves outcomes related to innovation, well-being, burnout, and perceptions of organizational culture.
—Mark Cruth, Quartz, 30 Jan. 2023
From switchblades to Dungeons & Dragons to rap music to video games, people have unjustifiably projected their fears onto specific aspects of culture, blaming them for the inescapable passage of time and erosion of what once was.
—David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 29 Jan. 2023
This fascination morphed into a more all-encompassing outlook on documentation and photographing various aspects of San Diego culture.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2023
But digital creations like him, or it, have been a hallmark of Korean popular culture for a generation.
—Matt Stevens, New York Times, 29 Jan. 2023
Demonstrators returned to the streets of Memphis on Saturday with a largely peaceful stand against the elements of police culture that enabled the death of Tyre Nichols.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 29 Jan. 2023
Monterey Park is in the San Gabriel Valley, in eastern Los Angeles County, and is known as a center of Chinese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese American culture.
—Emily Witt, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2023
Today, the city’s leaders describe it as the heart of Asian American culture and activism, and a place where diaspora communities can thrive alongside of, and commingle with, American tradition.
—Reis Thebault, Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2023
Tom Layberger, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2023
It’s no one’s idea on Christmas Eve to pipette stem cells in a petri dish and wait for that to culture.
—Jayne Williamson-lee, STAT, 17 Dec. 2022
But then tying that to culture clash, was part of that metaphor.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Dec. 2022
As of Friday morning, Trump’s account was still suspended, and trending topics included everything from the news of the day (Paul Pelosi) to culture (#FridayFeeling, Rihanna).
—Jason Abbruzzese, NBC News, 28 Oct. 2022
But culture war issues played heavily in the May 7 races.
—Dallas News, 9 May 2022
The size, terrain and demographics of San Diego have always given it a special relationship to culture and the arts.
—Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Dec. 2022
One key question, according to Greg O’Corry-Crowe, a behavioral ecologist at Florida Atlantic University, is: Will culture carry the whales through?
—Saima May Sidik, WIRED, 3 Dec. 2022
Cassey is an artist who has made her culture her livelihood.
—Jenna Kunze, ELLE, 28 July 2022
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Noun
The temperature of a culture isn’t always taken with an accurate thermometer — especially with decisions around the blurry fate of who gets to be famous.
—Michael Klein, SPIN, 30 Jan. 2023
Providing flexibility to work in the location(s) of one’s choosing significantly improves outcomes related to innovation, well-being, burnout, and perceptions of organizational culture.
—Mark Cruth, Quartz, 30 Jan. 2023
From switchblades to Dungeons & Dragons to rap music to video games, people have unjustifiably projected their fears onto specific aspects of culture, blaming them for the inescapable passage of time and erosion of what once was.
—David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 29 Jan. 2023
This fascination morphed into a more all-encompassing outlook on documentation and photographing various aspects of San Diego culture.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2023
But digital creations like him, or it, have been a hallmark of Korean popular culture for a generation.
—Matt Stevens, New York Times, 29 Jan. 2023
Demonstrators returned to the streets of Memphis on Saturday with a largely peaceful stand against the elements of police culture that enabled the death of Tyre Nichols.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 29 Jan. 2023
Monterey Park is in the San Gabriel Valley, in eastern Los Angeles County, and is known as a center of Chinese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese American culture.
—Emily Witt, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2023
Today, the city’s leaders describe it as the heart of Asian American culture and activism, and a place where diaspora communities can thrive alongside of, and commingle with, American tradition.
—Reis Thebault, Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2023
Verb
Things began to turn around, though, at least with respect to culture if not the win column, when the 41-year-old Norvell arrived from Memphis.
—Tom Layberger, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2023
It’s no one’s idea on Christmas Eve to pipette stem cells in a petri dish and wait for that to culture.
—Jayne Williamson-lee, STAT, 17 Dec. 2022
But then tying that to culture clash, was part of that metaphor.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Dec. 2022
As of Friday morning, Trump’s account was still suspended, and trending topics included everything from the news of the day (Paul Pelosi) to culture (#FridayFeeling, Rihanna).
—Jason Abbruzzese, NBC News, 28 Oct. 2022
But culture war issues played heavily in the May 7 races.
—Dallas News, 9 May 2022
The size, terrain and demographics of San Diego have always given it a special relationship to culture and the arts.
—Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Dec. 2022
One key question, according to Greg O’Corry-Crowe, a behavioral ecologist at Florida Atlantic University, is: Will culture carry the whales through?
—Saima May Sidik, WIRED, 3 Dec. 2022
Cassey is an artist who has made her culture her livelihood.
—Jenna Kunze, ELLE, 28 July 2022
See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'culture.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English, cultivated land, cultivation, from Anglo-French, from Latin cultura, from cultus, past participle — see cult
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4
Verb
1510, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of culture was
in the 15th century
Phrases Containing culture
Dictionary Entries Near culture
Cite this Entry
“Culture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture. Accessed 9 Feb. 2023.
Kids Definition
culture
1 of 2 noun
cul·ture
ˈkəl-chər
Medical Definition
culture
1 of 2 noun
cul·ture
ˈkəl-chər
1
a
: the integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thought, speech, action, and artifacts and depends upon the human capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations
b
: the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group
2
a
: the act or process of growing living material (as bacteria or viruses) in prepared nutrient media
b
: a product of cultivation in nutrient media
culture
2 of 2 transitive verb
cultured; culturing
ˈkəlch-(ə-)riŋ
More from Merriam-Webster on culture
Nglish: Translation of culture for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of culture for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about culture
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