verb
cull
kuhl
verb
1
To select or pick something out from a larger group.
"The editor culled the best quotes from the interview."
2
To reduce the number of animals in a population by killing some of them in a controlled way.
"The park had to cull the deer population to protect local plants."
noun
1
The organized killing of selected animals to control numbers.
"Officials ordered a cull after the disease spread through the herd."
How to Use Cull
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo pick out or thin down a group — often used for reducing animal populations, but also for trimming a list down to the best items.
Common pairings
cull the herd
cull data
ordered a cull
Word Forms
culled past tense, culls plural, culls plural, Culls plural, culls singular
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The editor _____ the best quotes from the interview.
Etymology
From Old French cuillir ("to gather, select"), from Latin colligere ("to gather together") — the same root as "collect."