What does culturally mean?
"Culturally" is an adverb used to describe something in relation to culture — the arts, customs, beliefs, and shared practices of a society or group. It typically appears before adjectives to characterise a place, event, policy, or idea: a city may be described as "culturally rich" if it offers many museums, theatres, and traditions, while a community may be called "culturally diverse" when it includes people of varied backgrounds. The word can also refer more broadly to matters of social norms and collective identity, as in "culturally acceptable" behaviour. It carries a neutral-to-positive tone and appears most often in formal writing, journalism, education, and cultural commentary. Its Latin roots connect it to the idea of cultivating or refining — originally of soil, later of mind and society — which makes it a useful word for discussing both artistic life and social difference.
adverbIn a way that relates to culture, especially the arts, customs, and shared practices of a society; with regard to the cultivation or refinement of the mind and manners.
- With respect to the arts, customs, beliefs, and intellectual life of a society.
- In terms of social norms, values, or identity shared by a group.
"The city is culturally rich, boasting world-class museums, theatres, and galleries."
"Vienna is one of Europe's most culturally significant cities."
"The festival celebrates the region's culturally distinct heritage."
The word "culturally" traces back to the same Latin root as "agriculture" — before it meant art and ideas, "culture" literally meant tilling the soil.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of culturally
"Culturally" derives from "cultural", which comes from "culture" — from the Latin "cultura", meaning cultivation or tending of the land (as in agriculture). Over time the term broadened metaphorically to describe the refinement and development of the mind and of societies. The adjective "cultural" emerged in the 19th century, and its adverb form followed soon after as interest in comparative societies grew. It shares its Latin origin with words like "cultivate" and "cultivation".
Related word forms
How culturally is actually used
Formal to neutral register, common in journalism, academic writing, and cultural criticism. Often used attributively before adjectives such as "rich", "diverse", or "significant".
Easily confused with culturally
"Culturally" is an adverb describing how something is done in relation to culture, whereas "cultivated" is a past participle meaning refined or deliberately developed.