cultivability
|cul-ti-va-bi-li-ty|
🇺🇸
/ˌkʌltɪˈveɪbəlɪti/
🇬🇧
/ˌkʌltɪˈveɪb(ə)lɪti/
ability to be cultivated
Etymology
'cultivability' originates from English, built from the verb 'cultivate' (from Latin 'cultivare'), combined with the suffix '-ability' (from Latin 'habilitas' via Old French), where 'cult-'/'col-' meant 'to till or till the soil' and '-ability' meant 'capacity or suitability'.
'cultivate' changed from Latin 'cultivare' to Old French/Norman forms like 'cultiver' and entered Middle English as 'cultiven'/'cultivate', and the productive English suffix '-ability' (from Old French/Latin) later formed 'cultivability'.
Initially, roots like 'colere'/'cult-' meant 'to till, to tend the soil'; over time 'cultivate' broadened to mean 'to foster or develop' and the combined form 'cultivability' now denotes the capacity for being cultivated either literally (land) or figuratively (skills).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or state of being able to be cultivated, especially referring to land or soil suitable for farming or planting.
The cultivability of the river plain made it a natural choice for establishing new farms.
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Noun 2
the potential for development or improvement (metaphorical use), e.g., the cultivability of a person's skills or of an idea.
Educators discussed the cultivability of critical thinking in early childhood programs.
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Last updated: 2025/12/31 16:58