What does cultivate mean?
To cultivate is to nurture something toward growth or improvement, whether that thing is literal or abstract. In its original agricultural sense, the verb describes preparing soil, tilling land, and raising crops — a meaning still central to farming and gardening today. Over time the word broadened into a powerful metaphor: people now cultivate skills, habits, friendships, reputations, and even patience, implying steady, deliberate effort rather than quick results. The word carries a largely positive connotation, suggesting care, intention, and long-term investment, though when applied to winning someone's favor it can hint at calculation. Derived from the Latin 'cultivare,' itself rooted in 'colere' (to till or inhabit), 'cultivate' shares ancestry with 'culture' and 'agriculture.' It is a versatile and widely used verb, equally at home in discussions of farming, personal development, business relationships, and the arts.
verbTo prepare and use land for crops or gardening; to foster the growth of plants. By extension, to develop or refine something intangible, such as a skill, relationship, or quality, through sustained effort and attention.
- To prepare and use land for growing crops or plants (literal/agricultural sense).
- To develop or foster a skill, quality, relationship, or interest through deliberate effort (figurative sense).
- To try to win the friendship or favor of someone, sometimes with connotations of self-interest.
"She spent years cultivating relationships with local farmers to source the best produce."
"The valley has been cultivated for vineyards since Roman times."
"He cultivated a reputation for generosity by quietly funding local causes."
The same Latin root that gave us 'cultivate' also gave us 'culture' — because culture, like a crop, is something you have to tend deliberately.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cultivate
Cultivate comes from the Medieval Latin 'cultivare,' a variant of 'cultivare' derived from 'cultus,' the past participle of 'colere,' meaning to till, dwell, or worship. It entered English in the early seventeenth century, first in the agricultural sense of preparing land for crops. Its figurative sense of developing the mind, character, or relationships developed shortly afterward. The root 'colere' is shared with 'culture,' 'agriculture,' and 'colony,' reflecting the ancient link between tending land and building civilization.
Related word forms
How cultivate is actually used
Works in both formal and neutral registers. In its figurative sense it carries a positive connotation of patience and intentionality, though in social contexts ('cultivating someone's favor') it can imply calculated or strategic motives.
Easily confused with cultivate
'Culminate' means to reach a final point or climax, while 'cultivate' means to nurture or grow something over time.