Culture
/ˈkʌl.tʃər/noun
The ideas, customs, and social behavior of a particular people or society.
Did you know?The term 'culture' originally referred to the cultivation of land and souls, connecting agriculture with spiritual growth and transformation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kwel-
“to revolve, to move in a circle, indicating a sense of nurturing and growth.”
Latin
Latin
cultura
“cultivation, tilling, referring to the act of nurturing land and also the care of the soul.”
Late Latin
Latin
cultura
“cultivation, refinement of the mind or spirit.”
Old French
Old French
culture
“the act of cultivating, education, and refinement in manners.”
Middle English
Middle English
cultur
“cultivation, especially of the mind or spirit, as well as farming.”
Modern English
English
culture
“the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior.”
Explore more surprising origins