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Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get right?
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a
: the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group
also
: the characteristic features of everyday existence (such as diversions or a way of life) shared by people in a place or time
popular culture
Southern culture
b
: the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization
a corporate culture focused on the bottom line
c
: the set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic
studying the effect of computers on print culture
Changing the culture of materialism will take time …—
Peggy O'Mara
Peggy O'Mara
d
: the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations
2
a
: enlightenment and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training
b
: acquaintance with and taste in fine arts, humanities, and broad aspects of science as distinguished from vocational and technical skills
a person of culture
3
: the act or process of cultivating living material (such as bacteria or viruses) in prepared nutrient media
also
: a product of such cultivation
4
: cultivation, tillage
We ought to blame the culture, not the soil.—Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope5
: the act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties especially by education
6
: expert care and training
beauty culture
cultured; culturing
ˈkəlch-riŋ 
ˈkəl-chə-
1
2
a
: to grow in a prepared medium
culture microorganisms
b
: to start a culture from (see culture entry 1 sense 3)
culture soil
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 WebChris Yogerst, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2023
Over the next few decades, Fosler-Lussier says, the program’s budget shrunk as the cost of the Vietnam War rose and the reach of American culture grew with the expansion of global media.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2023
With the aid of Jonathan Tunick’s peerless orchestrations, the songwriter emulates his mentor here, Oscar Hammerstein II, by planting Broadway’s flag boldly in another culture.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2023
Kornblatt’s opened in the space next door to Escape from New York Pizza in early 1991, creating a small stretch of New York culture in Northwest Portland.
—Mrussell, oregonlive, 20 Mar. 2023
Satirical shots at the inanity of celebrity culture, glimpses of the profound differences between North and South Korea, actors in penguin heads, musical interludes (a guitar-strumming Song): There’s a lot going on here.
—Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Mar. 2023
The menus in the ice restaurant and bar are heavy on Finnish flavors, so travelers can fully immerse themselves in the local culture.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 19 Mar. 2023
Highlights from the week in culture, every Saturday.
—Emily Witt, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2023
The show is deeply embedded in the culture at this point.
—Breanna Bell, Variety, 18 Mar. 2023
WIRED, 22 Nov. 2022
The cells are far easier to culture, and their genetic defects are more readily repaired.
—Karen Weintraub, Discover Magazine, 29 Nov. 2015
Its seniors, who have played a key role in the team’s recent success, attribute it to culture.
—Dallas News, 14 Dec. 2022
No one informed or obtained consent from Lacks or her family to culture her cells.
—Grace Halden, Discover Magazine, 20 Feb. 2015
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
See More
Noun
The raves for Ford prefigure what would be a massive explosion of Western popular culture in film and later television for the next two decades.
—Chris Yogerst, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2023
Over the next few decades, Fosler-Lussier says, the program’s budget shrunk as the cost of the Vietnam War rose and the reach of American culture grew with the expansion of global media.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2023
With the aid of Jonathan Tunick’s peerless orchestrations, the songwriter emulates his mentor here, Oscar Hammerstein II, by planting Broadway’s flag boldly in another culture.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2023
Kornblatt’s opened in the space next door to Escape from New York Pizza in early 1991, creating a small stretch of New York culture in Northwest Portland.
—Mrussell, oregonlive, 20 Mar. 2023
Satirical shots at the inanity of celebrity culture, glimpses of the profound differences between North and South Korea, actors in penguin heads, musical interludes (a guitar-strumming Song): There’s a lot going on here.
—Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Mar. 2023
The menus in the ice restaurant and bar are heavy on Finnish flavors, so travelers can fully immerse themselves in the local culture.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 19 Mar. 2023
Highlights from the week in culture, every Saturday.
—Emily Witt, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2023
The show is deeply embedded in the culture at this point.
—Breanna Bell, Variety, 18 Mar. 2023
Verb
Platforms like Twitter and Facebook have transformed not just the internet but culture itself.
—WIRED, 22 Nov. 2022
The cells are far easier to culture, and their genetic defects are more readily repaired.
—Karen Weintraub, Discover Magazine, 29 Nov. 2015
Its seniors, who have played a key role in the team’s recent success, attribute it to culture.
—Dallas News, 14 Dec. 2022
No one informed or obtained consent from Lacks or her family to culture her cells.
—Grace Halden, Discover Magazine, 20 Feb. 2015
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
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 27 Mar. 2023.
Kids Definition
culture
1 of 2 noun
cul·ture
ˈkəl-chər
2
: the raising or development of a product or crop by careful attention
bee culture
the culture of grapes
3
: improvement of the mind, tastes, and manners through careful training
4
a
: a particular stage, form, or kind of civilization
ancient Greek culture
b
: the beliefs, social practices, and characteristics of a racial, religious, or social group
c
: the characteristic features of everyday life shared by people in a particular place or time
southern culture
5
: cultivation of living material (as bacteria) in a special usually liquid or jellylike nutrient preparation
also
: a product of such cultivation
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
1
: to grow (as microorganisms or tissues) in a prepared medium
2
: to start a culture from
culture soil
also
: to make a culture of
culture milk
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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