Culmen, kul′men, n. highest point: the median length-wise ridge of a bird's upper mandible. [L.]

Culminate, kul′min-āt, v.i. (astron.) to be vertical or at the highest point of altitude: to reach the highest point (with in).—adj. Cul′minant, at its highest point.—n. Culminā′tion, act of culminating: the top: (astron.) transit of a body across the meridian or highest point for the day. [Low L. culmināre, from L. culmen, properly columen, a summit.]

Culottic, kul-ot′ic, adj. wearing trousers: (Carlyle) respectable. [Fr. culotte, breeches.]

Culpable, kul′pa-bl, adj. faulty: criminal.—ns. Culpabil′ity, Cul′pableness, liability to blame.—adv. Cul′pably.—adj. Cul′patory, expressive of blame. [O. Fr. coupable—L. culpabilisculpa, a fault.]

Culprit, kul′prit, n. one in fault: a criminal: (Eng. law) a prisoner accused but not yet tried. [From the fusion in legal phraseology of cul. (culpable, culpabilis), and prit, prist (O. Fr. prest), ready. Not culpate—law L. culpatus, a person accused.]

Cult, kult, n. a system of religious belief, worship.—Also Cult′us. [L. cultuscolĕre, to worship.]

Culter, kul′tėr, n. obsolete form of Coulter.—adjs. Cultiros′tral, Culturos′tral; Cul′trate, -d, shaped like a pruning-knife; Cul′triform, in the form of a pruning-knife: sharp-edged.

Cultism, kult′ism, n. a style of writing after the manner of Luis de Góngora y Argote (1561-1627), a Spanish lyric poet—estilo culto, being florid, pedantic, often obscure.—ns. Cult′ist, Cult′orist. [Sp. culte, elegant—L. cultus.]

Cultivate, kul′ti-vāt, v.i. to till or produce by tillage: to prepare for crops: to devote attention to: to civilise or refine.—adjs. Cul′tivable, Cultivat′able, capable of being cultivated.—ns. Cultivā′tion, the art or practice of cultivating: civilisation: refinement; Cul′tivator.—Cultivate a person's friendship, to endeavour to get his good-will. [Low L. cultivāre, -ātum—L. colĕre, to till, to worship.]

Culture, kul′tūr, n. cultivation: the state of being cultivated: refinement the result of cultivation.—v.t. to cultivate: to improve.—adjs. Cul′turable; Cul′tural.—p.adj. Cul′tured, cultivated: well educated: refined.—adj. Cul′tureless. [L. cultūracolĕre.]