multicultural
gb/mˌʌltikˈʌlt͡ʃɚəl/ us/mˌʌltikˈʌlt͡ʃɚəl/
B2
English
~ 9500
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
involving many different cultures
Having people from many different cultures together in one place, group, or activity, and often seeing this as a good thing.
Usage pattern:
a multicultural [society/place/school/company/festival]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "multicultural" with "international". "Multicultural" focuses on many cultures living or working together in the same place (a multicultural city, a multicultural school). "International" focuses on connections between countries (an international company, an international flight). Another common mistake is writing "multi-cultural" with a hyphen; in modern English, "multicultural" is usually written as one word.
Synonyms
culturally diverse (More explicit about diversity of cultures; very close in meaning and often interchangeable.)
|
cosmopolitan (Suggests worldliness and openness as well as cultural mix; more about the feel of a place, especially cities.)
|
diverse (General word for variety; not limited to culture and can refer to age, gender, opinions, etc.)
Antonyms
monocultural (Describes a place or group where only one culture is present or dominant.)
|
homogeneous (Stresses that people or things are very similar to each other; not necessarily only about culture, but often used that way.)
Collocations
multicultural society
|multicultural city
|multicultural community
|multicultural education
|multicultural environment
|multicultural team
Themes
society
|culture
|education
|politics
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Canada is often described as a multicultural society that welcomes immigrants from around the world.
- The school has a multicultural student body, with children from more than thirty countries.
- They organized a multicultural festival to celebrate the different traditions in the neighborhood.
- Working in a multicultural team helped her learn how to communicate across cultures.
- The government introduced policies to support a more multicultural and inclusive workplace.
Learner examples
- My city is very multicultural, with people from many countries.
- We had a multicultural day at school and tried food from many cultures.
- He enjoys working in a multicultural company.
- The university has a multicultural campus.
- They want their children to grow up in a multicultural environment.
Grammar
Dictionary form
multicultural
IPA
GB/mˌʌltikˈʌlt͡ʃɚəl/
US/mˌʌltikˈʌlt͡ʃɚəl/
Syllables & stress
mul - ti - cul - tur - al (5 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (cul)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: multicultural
Word family
Core family
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
monocultural
adjective
noncultural
adjective
Advanced or less common
Expressions
multicultural city
1/mˌʌltikˈʌlt͡ʃɚəl sˈɪti/
fixed phrase
city with many cultures
A city that has people from many cultures, languages, and traditions.
Examples
- London is a multicultural city where you can hear dozens of languages on the streets.
- She moved to a multicultural city because she likes meeting people from different backgrounds.
multicultural community
1/mˌʌltikˈʌlt͡ʃɚəl kəmjˈunɪti/
fixed phrase
local group with many cultures
A neighborhood or local group where people from many cultures live or work together.
Examples
- The center offers language classes for the multicultural community in this district.
- Our town has become a multicultural community over the last twenty years.
multicultural education
1/mˌʌltikˈʌlt͡ʃɚəl ˌɛd͡ʒəkˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
education about and for many cultures
Teaching that includes many cultures and tries to respect all students' cultural backgrounds.
Examples
- The school district is investing in multicultural education to reduce prejudice.
- Her research focuses on multicultural education in primary schools.
multicultural environment
1/mˌʌltikˈʌlt͡ʃɚəl ɪnvˈaɪɹənmənt/
fixed phrase
setting with many interacting cultures
A place, such as a school or company, where people from many cultures are together every day.
Examples
- Working in a multicultural environment can improve your communication skills.
- The university offers training on how to succeed in a multicultural environment.
multicultural society
1/mˌʌltikˈʌlt͡ʃɚəl səsˈaɪəti/
fixed phrase
society with many cultures
A country or large community where people from many different cultures live together.
Examples
- Australia is often seen as a successful multicultural society.
- In a multicultural society, schools must respect different cultural and religious traditions.