Cull - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
To cull means to selectively remove or eliminate something, often from a group. It is commonly used in contexts like reducing animal populations, selecting the best items, or removing inferior ones.
Definition:
To select and remove inferior or excess items from a group, often to improve quality or reduce numbers.
Synonyms:
eliminate, weed out, thin, prune
Part of Speech:
verb, noun
Antonyms:
preserve, protect
Common Collocations:
cull the herd, cull weak plants, cull outdated stock
Derivatives:
culling, culled
Usage Tips:
Use "cull" when describing selective removal to improve a group's overall quality or reduce overpopulation.
Common Phrases:
cull the weak, cull the herd, nature’s cull
Etymology:
From Old French "cuillir," meaning "to gather," later evolving to mean selective removal in English.
Examples:
- 1. The farmer decided to cull the sick chickens to protect the rest of the flock.
- 2. Wildlife officials will cull deer if their population grows too large.
- 3. She had to cull outdated files from the office archive to save space.
- 4. The gardener will cull weak seedlings to ensure stronger plants thrive.