verb
cultivate
KUHL-tih-vayt
verb
1
To prepare and use land for growing crops.
"The family has cultivated this land for three generations."
2
To develop or improve a skill, relationship, or quality over time.
"She worked hard to cultivate good relationships with her clients."
How to Use Cultivate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo grow crops on land, or more broadly, to nurture and develop something over time.
Common pairings
cultivate crops
cultivate a relationship
cultivate a skill
Word Forms
cultivated past tense, cultivates singular
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The family has _____ this land for three generations.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin cultivare ("to till"), from Latin cultus, from colere ("to till, tend, cultivate").