cul´ture|less

cul|ture «KUHL chuhr», noun, verb, -tured, -tur|ing.

–n.

1. fineness of feelings, thoughts, tastes, or manners; refinement: »

He is a man of culture who appreciates the great art and fine sculpture in the museum.

SYNONYM(S): breeding. See syn. under education. (Cf. ↑education)

2. Anthropology. a) the civilization of a given people or nation at a given time or over all time; its customs, its arts, and its conveniences: »

The series of lectures included the culture of the Plains Indians, of the Pygmies, of the ancient Incas, and of modern Japan.

b) socially inherited artifacts.

3. the development of the mind or body by education or training: »

physical culture courses.

4. the preparation of land to raise crops by plowing, planting, and necessary care; cultivation. SYNONYM(S): tillage.

5. a) the raising by proper or special care of bees, fish, silkworms, oysters, or other plants or animals, for their natural products, especially as a source of food or profit: »

the culture of the vine, the culture of silk.

b) the rearing of plants or animals with the aim of improving them.

6. the growth of germs or bacteria in a special solution for scientific study or medicinal use. a) the resulting colony or growth: »

When cultures of this bacterium are kept for some time…their virulence becomes diminished (Edward E. Klein).

–v.t.

1. = cultivate. (Cf. ↑cultivate)

2. Biology. a) to grow or propagate (bacteria, tissues, or other living matter) in a specially prepared artificial medium: »

The organism has been successfully cultured.

b) to use (a substance) as a source of or medium for culture: »

to culture milk.

╂[< Middle French culture, learned borrowing from Latin cultūra a tending < colere to till, cherish; see etym. under cultivate (Cf. ↑cultivate)]

–cul´ture|less, adjective.