Proto-Indo-European root meaning "field;" probably a derivative of root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move."

It forms all or part of: acorn; acre; agrarian; agriculture; agriology; agro-; agronomy; onager; peregrinate; peregrination; peregrine; pilgrim; stavesacre.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit ajras "plain, open country," Greek agros "field," Latin ager (genitive agri) "a field," Gothic akrs, Old English æcer "field."

mid-15c., "the tilling of land, act of preparing the earth for crops," from Latin cultura "a cultivating, agriculture," figuratively "care, culture, an honoring," from past participle stem of colere "to tend, guard; to till, cultivate" (see colony). Meaning "the cultivation or rearing of a crop, act of promoting growth in plants" (1620s) was transferred to fish, oysters, etc., by 1796, then to "production of bacteria or other microorganisms in a suitable environment" (1880), then "product of such a culture" (1884).

The figurative sense of "cultivation through education, systematic improvement and refinement of the mind" is attested by c. 1500; Century Dictionary writes that it was, "Not common before the nineteenth century, except with strong consciousness of the metaphor involved, though used in Latin by Cicero." Meaning "learning and taste, the intellectual side of civilization" is by 1805; the closely related sense of "collective customs and achievements of a people, a particular form of collective intellectual development" is by 1867.

For without culture or holiness, which are always the gift of a very few, a man may renounce wealth or any other external thing, but he cannot renounce hatred, envy, jealousy, revenge. Culture is the sanctity of the intellect. [William Butler Yeats, journal, 7 March, 1909]

Slang culture vulture "one voracious for culture" is from 1947. Culture shock "disorientation experienced when a person moves to a different cultural environment or an unfamiliar way of life" is attested by 1940. Ironic or contemptuous spelling kulchur is attested from 1940 (Pound), and compare kultur.

abbreviation of agriculture, attested from 1830s (in Secretary of Ag., etc.); by 1880s in reference to college courses, American English.

"college student studying agriculture," by 1880, American English college slang, from ag, abbreviation of agriculture, + -ie.

also agri-business, "agriculture as conducted on commercial principles, the business and technology of farming; industries dealing in agricultural produce and services," 1955, a compound formed from agriculture + business.

"of or pertaining to or engaged in agriculture," 1766, from agriculture + -al (1). Related: Agriculturally; agriculturalist.

"the are of planting, training, and trimming trees and shrubs," 1822, from Latin arbor, arboris "tree" (see arbor (n.2)) + -culture, abstracted from agriculture. Perhaps modeled on French arboriculture (by 1808). Related: Arboricultural; arboriculturist (1825).

1822, from Latin floris, genitive of flos "flower" (see flora) + -culture on analogy of agriculture. Related: Floricultural; floriculturist.

1670s, "cultivation of a garden," coined from Latin hortus "garden" (from PIE root *gher- (1) "to grasp, enclose"), probably on model of agriculture. Famously punned upon by Dorothy Parker.

"design based on systems simulating or utilizing patterns and features observed in natural ecosystems," by 1978, from permanent + -culture, in this case abstracted from agriculture.