cultivation
9 synonyms for cultivation, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The process of preparing and farming land to grow crops.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use cultivation
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
crop cultivation
self-cultivation
Etymology
From Medieval Latin cultivatus plus "-ion," or via Middle French cultivation.
Full origin of cultivation →Frequently asked questions
What does “cultivation” mean?
The word “cultivation” means the process of preparing and farming land to grow crops. In plain terms, farming land for crops, or nurturing a skill, talent, or quality over time.
How do you pronounce “cultivation”?
“Cultivation” is pronounced kuhl-tih-VAY-shuhn (/ˌkʌltɪˈveɪʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “cultivation” in a sentence?
Here is “cultivation” used in a sentence: “The valley is known for its rice cultivation.”
What is another word for “cultivation”?
Words with a similar meaning to “cultivation” include tillage.
What part of speech is “cultivation”?
“Cultivation” is a noun.
Where does the word “cultivation” come from?
The word “cultivation” comes from Medieval Latin. From Medieval Latin cultivatus plus "-ion," or via Middle French cultivation.
Is “cultivation” a common word?
“Cultivation” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “cultivation” have?
“Cultivation” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the process of preparing and farming land to grow crops.
What is the difference between cultivation and farming?
Cultivation specifically refers to the process of preparing and working land to grow crops, while farming is a broader term covering the whole agricultural operation, including raising livestock. Cultivation can also apply figuratively to developing a skill or quality, a sense farming does not carry.
Can cultivation refer to something other than growing crops?
Yes, cultivation is often used figuratively to describe the ongoing effort to develop or improve a skill or quality, such as "the cultivation of good judgment." This extends the agricultural image of tending land to the idea of nurturing personal growth.
Is cultivation used in gardening as well as large-scale agriculture?
Yes, cultivation applies at any scale, from a home gardener tilling a small plot to a farmer managing hundreds of acres of crops. The word describes the process itself, regardless of the size of the operation.
