material culture — The physical objects, resources, and spaces that people use to define their culture, such as tools, buildings, art, and technology
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: The physical objects, resources, and spaces that people use to define their culture, such as tools, buildings, art, and technology
Pronunciation (IPA): /məˈtɪriəl ˈkʌltʃər/
Example Sentences
- Archaeologists study material culture, like pottery and tools, to understand ancient civilizations.
- If aliens studied our material culture, they'd probably think smartphones were our religious idols.
- My little brother's room is basically a museum of material culture - full of candy wrappers and broken toys!
material culture
NOUN[/məˈtɪriəl ˈkʌltʃər/]
The physical objects, resources, and spaces that people use to define their culture, such as tools, buildings, art, and technology
Museum shelves display tools, pottery, and clothes — the material culture of a lost civilization.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Material derives from Latin materia, meaning 'matter' or 'wood,' while culture originates from Latin colere, meaning 'to cultivate' or 'to tend.' Originally, culture referred to the literal tending of land, but gradually expanded to encompass the cultivation of the mind and spirit. Material culture thus denotes the tangible, physical expressions of cultural practices—tools, buildings, and artifacts that embody a society's values and knowledge.
Breakdown
materia (matter, substance) + colere (to cultivate, to tend) = the material expressions and tangible artifacts through which culture is manifested and sustained.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Archaeologists study material culture, like pottery and tools, to understand ancient civilizations.”
“If aliens studied our material culture, they'd probably think smartphones were our religious idols.”
“My little brother's room is basically a museum of material culture - full of candy wrappers and broken toys!”
“Unlike material culture, beliefs and traditions are much harder to preserve over time.”
“The exhibit on ancient Egyptian material culture included jewelry, pottery, and even makeup tools.”
📚Related Words
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