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cultivé

educated, cultured

adjective kül-tee-VEH Rare
People & Society Values

Origin: Past participle of cultiver, from Latin cultivare (to till, cultivate)

Usage Note

Cultivé describes a person with broad intellectual and artistic education — closer to 'well-read' or 'cultivated' than merely 'educated'. The feminine form is cultivée. Its antonym inculte ('uncultured') is a strong insult in French intellectual culture, reflecting the high social value placed on culture générale.

Examples

"C'est une femme très cultivée et curieuse."

Natural Translation

She is a very cultured and curious woman.

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