cul ‧ tu ‧ ral W2 AC /ˈkʌltʃ ə rəl/ BrE AmE adjective [usually before noun]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ culture , ↑ subculture ; adjective : ↑ cultural , ↑ cultured ; adverb : ↑ culturally ]
1 . belonging or relating to a particular society and its way of life ⇨ multicultural :
the very real historical and cultural differences between our two societies
the desire to maintain a distinct cultural identity
It is important to look at the political and cultural context in which the novel was written.
people who share the same cultural background
cultural heritage/traditions etc (=ideas, customs etc that have existed in a particular society for a long time)
Japan’s unique cultural heritage
⇨ ↑ multicultural
2 . relating to art, literature, music etc:
the city’s rich and varied cultural life
Students need to have time for relaxation and cultural activities, as well as for academic work.
In the later Middle Ages, Prague was an important cultural centre (=a place, usually a big city, where a lot of artistic and musical events happen) .
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
▪ cultural heritage (=the ideas, customs etc that have existed among a group for a long time)
We want to preserve our cultural heritage and pass it on to our children.
▪ cultural differences
People must accept each others’ cultural differences.
▪ cultural values (=ideas of what is right and wrong in a culture)
the social and cultural values of the western world
▪ cultural identity (=feeling of belonging to a particular group and sharing its values)
Children develop a sense of their racial and cultural identity at a young age.
▪ cultural diversity (=including people from many different cultures)
the racial and cultural diversity of British society
▪ a cultural context (=the ideas, customs etc of a particular place or time)
the cultural context of Europe in the eighteenth century
▪ cultural change
These were decades of rapid cultural change.
▪ cultural background (=the type of society you come from, and its ideas, customs etc)
people from the same cultural background
▪ cultural factors/influences
Research suggests that cultural factors influence scores in intelligence tests.
▪ cultural traditions
The ceremony is an important cultural tradition for the tribe.