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Definition of culture noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

culture

noun
 
/ˈkʌltʃə(r)/
 
/ˈkʌltʃər/
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    way of life

  1. [uncountable] the customs and beliefs, art, way of life and social organization of a particular country or group
    • African/American/European/Islamic culture
    • working-class culture
    • the study of Japanese language and culture
    • Cooking is a hugely important part of French culture.
    • He is no longer in touch with youth culture.
    • The film examines the culture clash between the generations.
    Extra Examples
    • Jokes are an important part of our popular oral culture.
    • These ideas have always been central to Western culture.
    • a country containing many language and culture groups
    • immigrants who embrace American culture
    • The Romans gradually assimilated the culture of the people they had conquered.
    • Prisoners are isolated from the wider culture of society at large.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • ancient
    • primitive
    • dominant
    verb + culture
    • assimilate
    • embrace
    • build
    culture + verb
    • develop
    culture + noun
    • group
    • shock
    • clash
    preposition
    • in a/​the culture
    phrases
    • a clash of cultures
    • a culture of fear
    • a culture of secrecy
    See full entry
  2. [countable] a country, group, etc. with its own beliefs, etc.
    • The children are taught to respect different cultures.
    • the effect of technology on traditional cultures
    Extra Examples
    • Children need to learn to understand cultures other than their own.
    • In some cultures children have an important place.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • ancient
    • primitive
    • dominant
    verb + culture
    • assimilate
    • embrace
    • build
    culture + verb
    • develop
    culture + noun
    • group
    • shock
    • clash
    preposition
    • in a/​the culture
    phrases
    • a clash of cultures
    • a culture of fear
    • a culture of secrecy
    See full entry
  3. art/music/literature

  4. [uncountable] art, music, literature, etc., thought of as a group
    • Venice is a beautiful city, full of culture and history.
    • the Minister for Culture
    see also pop culture
    Extra Examples
    • The paintings reflect African American culture.
    • She is a woman of wide culture.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • contemporary
    • modern
    • postmodern
    phrases
    • a man of culture
    • a woman of culture
    See full entry
  5. beliefs/attitudes

  6. [countable, uncountable] the beliefs and attitudes about something that people in a particular group or organization share
    • We are living in a consumer culture.
    • The political cultures of the United States and Europe are very different.
    • You can't change the culture of an organization overnight.
    • culture of something She believes the media have created a culture of fear.
    • The company promotes a culture of innovation.
    • A culture of failure exists in some schools.
    see also cancel culture, canteen culture, coffee culture, corporate culture, rape culture
    Extra Examples
    • Newcomers to the company are soon assimilated into the culture.
    • The computer has changed the culture of the design profession.
    • The new director is trying to foster a culture of open communication within the company.
    • The social security system has been accused of producing a culture of dependency.
    • the development of the enterprise culture in Britain
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • ancient
    • primitive
    • dominant
    verb + culture
    • assimilate
    • embrace
    • build
    culture + verb
    • develop
    culture + noun
    • group
    • shock
    • clash
    preposition
    • in a/​the culture
    phrases
    • a clash of cultures
    • a culture of fear
    • a culture of secrecy
    See full entry
  7. growing/breeding

  8. [uncountable] (specialist) the growing of plants or producing of particular animals in order to get a particular substance or crop from them
    • the culture of silkworms (= for silk)
  9. cells/bacteria

  10. [countable] (biology, medical) a group of cells or bacteria, especially one taken from a person or an animal and grown for medical or scientific study, or to produce food; the process of obtaining and growing these cells
    • a culture of cells from the tumour
    • Yogurt is made from active cultures.
    • to do/take a throat culture
  11. Word OriginMiddle English (denoting a cultivated piece of land): the noun from French culture or directly from Latin cultura ‘growing, cultivation’; the verb from obsolete French culturer or medieval Latin culturare, both based on Latin colere ‘tend, cultivate’ . In late Middle English the sense was ‘cultivation of the soil’ and from this (early 16th cent.), arose ‘cultivation (of the mind, faculties, or manners)’; sense (3) dates from the early 19th cent.
See culture in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee culture in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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