Words / B2

KULT-iv-ayt/ˈkʌltɪveɪt/

To cultivate is to grow crops or plants, or to develop a skill or relationship carefully: cultivate land, cultivate contacts. Grow and develop are everyday; foster is a close cousin for relationships. Cultivation is the noun. In speech, grow / build up carefully is enough. Do not use cultivate for a one-off hello, and do not mix it with culture (already in the dictionary) as a verb.

Meaning

To grow crops or plants; also to develop a skill or a relationship carefully.

Examples

• “She cultivated contacts in the industry over many years.”
• “They cultivated the slope for vines after the drainage went in.”
• “He cultivated a calm tone in emails, which is the “develop carefully” sense, not farming.”

Good to know

Grow plants, or develop a skill/relationship carefully. Everyday: grow / build up. Noun: cultivation. Not a one-off greeting.

Near in meaning

foster

New