WordGarden.iocull
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /kˈʌl/
US
- /ˈkəl/
Meanings
Verb
to choose or collect from a larger group
to kill selected animals to reduce or improve a population
Noun
a selective killing or removal of animals
an animal or item rejected as inferior or unwanted
Beyond the definition
To cull something means to carefully choose from a group, often removing items that are unwanted or inferior. A farmer might cull weak livestock from the herd, or an editor might cull unnecessary sentences from an article. It implies a deliberate selection process, leaving only the best or most suitable behind. Think of it like weeding a garden – you remove the undesirable plants to help the good ones thrive.
The word has roots in an older sense meaning to pick or gather. Today, it is often used in contexts where quality control or efficiency is important – like data analysis ("culling irrelevant information") or art ("the artist culled inspiration from her travels").
The word "cull" carries a sense of careful selection and removal. Originally meaning to pick or gather, it now most often refers to the process of removing undesirable items from a group, leaving only those that meet certain standards. A shepherd might cull sheep with poor wool quality from the flock, ensuring only the healthiest and strongest animals remain.
It can also mean to pick useful things from many places. A writer might cull quotes from interviews, or a researcher might cull facts from several reports.
However, "cull" isn't always about imperfection. It can also mean simply reducing the number of something – like a wildlife manager culling a deer population to prevent overgrazing. This is done not because the animals are "bad," but to maintain a healthy ecosystem. In data science, to cull data means to remove irrelevant or redundant information, streamlining analysis and improving accuracy.
The act of culling often implies a degree of ruthlessness – it's about making tough choices for the greater good (or efficiency). An editor might cull paragraphs from a manuscript, even if well-written, because they don't serve the overall narrative. A museum curator might cull pieces from a collection to create a more focused exhibit.
So whether it's about improving quality, managing resources, or refining a project, "to cull" means to selectively remove – leaving behind only what is most valuable, effective, or desirable. It's a word that speaks to the power of choice and the importance of prioritizing.
Examples
- 1
Farm disease
Vets advised the farm to cull the infected chickens before the virus spread.
- 2
Gardening
Each spring, the gardener culls weak seedlings so the strongest plants have room to grow.
- 3
Job interviews
The first round of interviews culled several weak candidates from the process.
- 4
Photo editing
The photo editor culled the best shots from more than a thousand images.
- Patterncull ... from
choose a smaller number from a larger group
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Documentary sources
Most of the documentary was culled from old news footage and family videos.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- cullnounverb
Forms
- culling-ing formverbnoun
- culledpast tenseverbnoun
- cullspluralnounverb