What does interculturally mean?
Interculturally is an adverb meaning in a way that involves interaction between different cultures. It is used especially in education, communication, organisational practice, and the study of cultural relations. The word often appears in discussions of intercultural competence, understanding, learning, and cooperation, where the focus is not merely on noticing cultural differences but on responding to them respectfully and effectively. Interculturally also conveys an active orientation toward exchange between cultures, rather than a general concern with culture as such. It is therefore more precise than culturally and can imply both awareness of cultural differences and a willingness to work across them. Although understandable to general readers, the adverb is most common in formal and specialist contexts.
adverbIn a manner involving interaction between different cultures, or with awareness of the relationships and differences among cultures.
- In a way that involves or promotes interaction between different cultures.
"The programme prepares teachers to work effectively with interculturally diverse classrooms."
"The museum developed an interculturally sensitive approach to displaying sacred objects."
"Students learned to communicate interculturally during their exchange programme."
Interculturally is the adverb for thinking beyond a single culture: it describes what happens when cultural differences become opportunities for learning and cooperation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does interculturally come from?
The word is formed adverbially from intercultural, which combines the Latin-derived prefix inter-, meaning between or among, with culture. The suffix -ally converts the adjective into an adverb, yielding interculturally. Its related forms include inter-, cultural, culturally, and culture, all reflecting the same modern development of culture and its derivatives in English.
How interculturally is actually used
Chiefly used in academic, educational, organisational, and intercultural-communication contexts. It is more specific and less common than the general adverb culturally.
Easily confused with interculturally
Culturally refers to matters relating to culture in general, whereas interculturally specifically emphasises interaction or engagement between different cultures.