Culture (noun) has four main senses in English:
1. The shared ideas, customs, beliefs, and social behaviour of a particular society or group of people. ("British culture", "youth culture")
2. The arts, intellectual achievements, and creative expression of a civilisation or era. ("a city of great culture")
3. The cultivation of plants, animals, or other living things. ("the culture of silkworms")
4. (Biology) A colony of bacteria or cells grown in a controlled laboratory environment. ("a bacterial culture")
What Does Culture Mean?
Culture is one of those deceptively simple-looking words that carries considerable depth. In everyday speech, learners most often encounter it in the social sense — the values, language, food, traditions, and shared history that make one society or group distinct from another. This is the sense most relevant to language learning: understanding the culture of an English-speaking country helps you interpret idioms, humour, social norms, and unspoken expectations.
The arts meaning is equally common. When a newspaper refers to "London's vibrant culture" it is pointing to theatres, galleries, music venues, literature, and public life. The two meanings often overlap: the arts are both a product of, and a contributor to, the wider culture of a society.
In professional contexts you will also encounter phrases such as company culture or organisational culture, which describe the shared values, attitudes, and working practices within a specific workplace or institution. This metaphorical extension of the word is now extremely common in business English.
The biological meaning (a bacterial culture, to culture cells) belongs primarily to scientific writing and medical contexts and follows the pattern of the original Latin sense: careful, deliberate cultivation of living things.
Etymology
The word culture comes from the Latin cultura, a noun derived from colere meaning "to till, to cultivate, to tend". In its earliest English uses (15th century) it referred literally to the tilling of land. By the 16th century it had extended to the cultivation of the mind and faculties. The metaphorical leap from farming to society — nurturing people and ideas the way a farmer nurtures crops — became firmly established in the 18th and 19th centuries. The same Latin root gives us agriculture (field-cultivation), horticulture (garden-cultivation), and the verb cultivate. See Cambridge Dictionary's full entry on “culture” for more examples.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & usage note |
|---|---|
| I want to learn about British culture before my trip to London. | A2 — simple statement of intent; social sense |
| Understanding British culture helps you understand many common English idioms. | B1 — gerund subject; culture + idioms link |
| The city is famous for its rich culture: world-class museums, live music, and street art. | B1 — arts sense; expanded with examples |
| A positive workplace culture encourages employees to share ideas without fear of criticism. | B2 — organisational culture; business English context |
| The microbiologist prepared a bacterial culture from the patient's throat swab to identify the infection. | C1 — scientific/biological sense; formal register |
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning / context |
|---|---|
| popular culture | mainstream media, entertainment, and trends enjoyed by the general public |
| culture shock | the confusion or anxiety felt when encountering a very different way of life |
| company / corporate culture | the shared values and working practices within an organisation |
| youth culture | the customs, fashion, music, and attitudes typical of young people at a given time |
| pop culture | informal shortening of popular culture; films, music, TV, social media trends |
| cultural heritage | the traditions, monuments, and artworks passed down from earlier generations |
| a culture of (something) | an environment or habit that encourages a particular behaviour: "a culture of openness" |
| steeped in culture | deeply infused with history, tradition, and the arts |
| cross-cultural | involving or comparing two or more different cultures |
| bacterial culture | micro-organisms grown in a laboratory for scientific study |
Usage Notes
- Countable vs uncountable: Use the uncountable form for general artistic or intellectual life: "The region is rich in culture." Use the countable form for distinct societies or groups: "The conference explored five different cultures."
- Culture as a verb: In biology, culture is also a verb: "Scientists cultured the cells in a growth medium." This verbal use is rare outside scientific writing.
- Adjective forms: Cultural is the most common adjective: cultural differences, cultural exchange. Cultured means well-educated or refined in taste: "a cultured individual". Do not confuse the two.
- Register: Culture is neutral in register and works equally well in academic essays, journalism, and casual conversation. In formal writing, prefer "cultural norms" or "cultural values" over the vaguer "culture".
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
I am very interested about British culture. ("interested about" is incorrect)
I am very interested in British culture. (use "interested in")
The culture of the company are very relaxed. (collective noun takes singular verb)
The culture of the company is very relaxed.
She is a very cultural person who loves art. ("cultural" describes things, not people)
She is a very cultured person who loves art. (use "cultured" for people)
Related Words
Synonyms
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Frequently Asked Questions about “culture”
What does culture mean in English?
Culture has several meanings in English. Most commonly it refers to the shared customs, values, arts, and social behaviour of a particular society or group of people. It can also refer to artistic and intellectual activity in general ('a city with a rich culture'), the cultivation of plants or animals, or a colony of micro-organisms grown in a laboratory.
Is culture countable or uncountable in English?
Culture can be both countable and uncountable. When it refers to a specific society's way of life, it is countable: 'There are many different cultures in Europe.' When it refers to artistic achievement or intellectual life in general, it tends to be uncountable: 'She has a great love of culture.' The scientific sense (a bacterial culture) is countable.
What is the difference between culture and tradition?
Culture is the broader concept — it encompasses the values, language, arts, customs, and beliefs of a society as a whole. Tradition refers to a specific practice, belief, or custom that is passed down from one generation to the next. Traditions are individual elements that form part of a wider culture.
What are some common collocations with culture?
Common collocations include: popular culture, pop culture, working-class culture, business culture, organisational culture, corporate culture, British culture, youth culture, and culture shock. The verb collocations include 'develop a culture of', 'promote a culture of', and 'be steeped in culture'.
What does 'culture shock' mean?
Culture shock is the feeling of confusion, anxiety, or disorientation that someone experiences when they move to or spend time in a country or society whose customs and values are very different from their own. It is a normal psychological response and typically passes as a person gradually adapts to the new environment.
What is the adjective form of culture?
The main adjective form is 'cultural': a cultural event, cultural differences, cultural heritage. 'Cultured' is a different adjective meaning well-educated and knowledgeable about the arts: 'a cultured person'. 'Multicultural' means relating to many different cultures existing together.
What is the origin of the word culture?
Culture comes from the Latin word 'cultura', meaning cultivation or tending, derived from 'colere' (to till, to cultivate). It entered English in the 15th century initially in the sense of cultivating land or animals. By the 19th century it had extended to the cultivation of the mind, arts, and society. The same Latin root gives us 'agriculture', 'horticulture', and 'cultivate'.
What is the difference between culture and civilisation?
Civilisation typically refers to a large, complex, and organised human society at a high stage of social and cultural development, often associated with writing, cities, and institutions. Culture is a broader, more flexible word that applies to any group of people, large or small, who share customs, values, and practices — including subcultures and contemporary groups.
How is culture used in science?
In biology and medicine, a culture is a colony of micro-organisms such as bacteria, cells, or viruses that are grown in a controlled laboratory environment. Scientists take a culture (noun) or culture cells (verb) to study diseases, test antibiotics, or produce vaccines. This scientific sense is entirely separate from the social and artistic meanings.
How can I practise using culture in English?
Try LexFizz's Complete the Sentence exercise to practise culture and its collocations in context. Flash Cards can help you memorise related vocabulary such as 'cultural', 'multicultural', and 'subculture'. Reading articles about travel, society, and the arts is also an excellent way to encounter culture used naturally across a wide range of contexts.