cultivate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To prepare and use land to grow crops or plants.

   Farmers in this region cultivate rice and corn.

2. 2
   verb

   To develop or encourage a skill, quality, or relationship over time.

   She worked hard to cultivate a good relationship with her clients.

From Medieval Latin cultivātus, perfect passive participle of cultivō (“till, cultivate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more), from cultīvus (“tilled”), from Latin cultus, perfect passive participle of colō (“till, cultivate”), which comes from earlier *quelō, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷel- (“to move; to turn (around)”). Cognates include Ancient Greek πέλω (pélō) and Sanskrit चरति (cárati). The same Proto-Indo-European root also gave Latin in-quil-īnus (“inhabitant”) and anculus (“servant”).

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