1813, "of or pertaining to the raising of plants or animals," from Latin cultura "tillage, a cultivating, agriculture," figuratively "care, culture, an honoring," from past participle stem of colere "to tend, guard; to till, cultivate" (see colony). With -al (1). Figurative senses of "relating to civilizations," also "the cultivation of the mind," are attested by 1875; hence, "relating to the culture of a particular place at a particular time" (by 1909).

Cultural anthropology is attested by 1910, and cultural has been a fertile starter-word among anthropologists and sociologists, for example cultural diffusion, in use by 1912; cultural diversity, by 1935; cultural imperialism, by 1937; cultural pluralism, by 1932; cultural relativism, by 1948. China's Cultural Revolution (1966) began in 1965; the name is a shortened translation of Chinese Wuchan Jieji Wenhua Da Geming "Proletarian Cultural Great Revolution." 

"cross-fertilization, cross-breeding; act or process of hybridizing; state of being hybridized," 1824, noun of action from hybridize.

1889, "in a cultural manner," from cultural + -ly (2).

"of or pertaining to analysis of cultural phenomena from the inside," 1954, from phonemic.

also multi-cultural, of a society, "consisting of varied cultural groups," by 1941; see multi- "many"+ culture (n.) + -al (1). At first often in a Canadian context. Picked up by U.S. education writers 1980s; widespread popular use from c. 1990.

acronym from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which was created in 1945.

1858, "characteristic Aryan principles," from Aryan + -ism. As a belief in cultural or racial superiority of Aryans, from 1905.

"the study of social distancing in a cultural context," 1963, from proximity + emic (also see -ics). Apparently coined by U.S. anthropologist Edward T. Hall.

also Meso-America, cultural or economic region comprising central and southern Mexico and northern Central America, by 1948, from Spanish Mesoamérica (by 1943); see meso- "middle" + America. Related: Mesoamerican.

in La Raza, literally "the race," 1964, from American Spanish (see race (n.2)), "designating the strong sense of racial and cultural identity held by Mexican-Americans" [OED].