Cull: meaning, definitions and examples

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cull

 

[ kʌl ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

animal selection

To cull means to select and remove certain individuals from a group, often to manage population size or improve the genetic quality of the population. This practice is commonly applied in agriculture and wildlife management.

Synonyms

choose, pick, remove, select.

Examples of usage

  • Farmers often cull weaker livestock from their herds.
  • In an attempt to control the deer population, wildlife officials decided to cull a select number of animals.
  • The zoo staff culls the population of particular species to maintain a balanced ecosystem.
Context #2 | Verb

content filtering

In a more general sense, cull can also refer to the act of selecting or gathering items from a larger set, often based on specific criteria, such as quality or relevance.

Synonyms

extract, filter, gather.

Examples of usage

  • Editors often cull through submissions to find the best articles for publication.
  • She culled the data to focus on the most significant trends.
  • The librarian culled outdated books from the collection.

Translations

Translations of the word "cull" in other languages:

🇵🇹 eliminar

🇮🇳 निष्क्रिय करना

🇩🇪 ausmerzen

🇮🇩 memusnahkan

🇺🇦 виключати

🇵🇱 eliminować

🇯🇵 排除する

🇫🇷 éliminer

🇪🇸 eliminar

🇹🇷 hariç tutmak

🇰🇷 제거하다

🇸🇦 استبعاد

🇨🇿 vyloučit

🇸🇰 vylúčiť

🇨🇳 剔除

🇸🇮 izločiti

🇮🇸 útskipta

🇰🇿 шығарып тастау

🇬🇪 გამორიცხვა

🇦🇿 istifadə etməmək

🇲🇽 eliminar

Etymology

The word 'cull' originates from the late Middle English period, deriving from the Old French 'culer,' which in turn comes from the Latin 'colligere,' meaning 'to gather together.' This captures the essence of selection and removal as culling implies the act of choosing or picking out from a larger group. Historically, the term has been applied in various contexts, from agriculture to conservation, indicating a practice of managing populations or quantities. Over time, its usage has expanded to include any type of selection process, particularly in the realms of data curation and content management, illustrating the word's versatility in the English language. Additionally, 'cull' has maintained a consistent theme of discernment and decision-making throughout its evolution.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #22,617, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.