Cultural Practices

noun a member of the original inhabitants of a region or country

adjective relating to or derived from the original inhabitants of a region or country; indigenous

• The tribe has a rich culture with many autochthonous traditions.
• The town's festival includes some really cool autochthonous dances.
• I love how they mix modern music with autochthonous instruments.
• The artist's style is truly autochthonous, unlike anything I've seen before.

verb to administer the Christian rite of baptism by sprinkling or immersion in water.

• The priest will baptize the newborn baby during the Sunday service.
• I heard Sarah's parents are going to baptize her baby next month.
• Yo, did you see that video of the guy trying to baptize his friend in the pool?
• The artist felt like the rain was baptizing her soul, giving her a renewed sense of inspiration.

noun the removal of the foreskin of a male or the prepuce of the clitoris in a female

• The parents decided to have their son undergo circumcision for cultural reasons.
• My cousin just had a circumcision and he said it wasn't as bad as he thought.
• I heard getting cut is a common practice in some cultures.
• The circumcision of the budget was necessary to allocate funds to more pressing needs.

noun a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife or wives

• In ancient China, a concubine was a woman who lived with a man and had a lower status than his wife.
• The king's concubine lived in a separate wing of the palace.
• I heard she's his concubine on the side.
• The smartphone has become the modern-day concubine, always by our side.

noun A fertility god is a deity associated with fertility, growth, and reproduction in various cultures and religions.

• In ancient Mesopotamian mythology, the fertility god was often depicted as a powerful deity responsible for the abundance of crops and livestock.
• Did you know that the fertility god was believed to bring good luck to farmers and families?
• Some people think that praying to the fertility god will help them conceive a child.
• The artist saw creativity as a form of worship to the fertility god, channeling inspiration and new ideas.

noun the act of fostering or being fostered; the care and protection given to a child by someone other than its natural or adoptive parents

• Fosterage is a practice where a child is raised by someone who is not their biological parent.
• I heard they are considering fosterage for their neighbor's child.
• I never knew fosterage could be so complicated.
• In literature, the theme of fosterage often symbolizes the idea of nurturing and growth.

noun a slang term for marijuana or cannabis

• The possession and use of ganja is illegal in many countries.
• Do you know where we can get some ganja around here?
• Let's roll up some ganja and chill out.
• His mind was clouded with the ganja smoke, making it hard to focus.

noun excessive or blind adoration, reverence, or devotion

• The practice of idolatry was common in ancient civilizations.
• Some people still engage in idolatry by worshipping statues.
• Idolatry is so outdated, don't you think?
• For him, money is his idolatry, he worships it above all else.

adjective existing or occurring from time immemorial; ancient or long-standing

• The tradition of celebrating the harvest festival dates back to time immemorial.
• People have been fishing in this lake since time immemorial.
• That story has been around since forever, it's like immemorial.
• The ancient ruins stood as a reminder of a civilization lost in the mists of time immemorial.

noun sexual relations between people who are closely related by blood

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• Incest is a taboo subject in many cultures and is considered morally wrong.
• I can't believe they found out about the incest in that family.
• That family has some serious incest going on, it's messed up.
• The company's incestuous relationship with their main supplier is causing conflicts of interest.

noun the customary public worship performed by a religious group, according to its beliefs, customs, and traditions

• The liturgy of the Catholic Church is rich in tradition and symbolism.
• We're expected to attend the liturgy on Sunday mornings.
• I find the whole liturgy thing kind of boring, to be honest.
• The liturgy of a successful business includes regular team meetings and goal-setting sessions.

verb an action or state of being; in this case, 'lived' is a past tense verb indicating the action of residing in a place

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence; in this case, 'in' is a preposition indicating the location where someone resided

• The couple lived in a beautiful mansion in the countryside.
• My grandparents have lived in that house for over 50 years.
• I've lived in this neighborhood my whole life, it's home to me.
• She lived in fear of failure for years before finally pursuing her dreams.

noun a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work

• Monasticism is a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to fully dedicate themselves to spiritual practice.
• Some people find solace and purpose in the strict discipline of monasticism.
• Dude, I could never handle the rules of monasticism, it's way too intense.
• In a way, his dedication to his craft was like a form of monasticism, shutting out all distractions to focus solely on his work.

noun a complicated or confusing statement or set of statements

• The speaker's convoluted explanation was filled with unnecessary mumbo jumbo.
• I can't make sense of all this mumbo jumbo in the instructions.
• Stop talking that mumbo jumbo, just tell me what you mean.
• Her mind was filled with a chaotic mix of thoughts, like a swirling pot of mumbo jumbo.

adjective describing the state of being preserved by mummification

• The ancient pharaoh was found mummified in his tomb.
• I heard they found a mummified body in the old house down the street.
• That mummified sandwich in the fridge is probably not safe to eat.
• His strict adherence to tradition mummified any sense of creativity in the company.

noun the practice of moving from place to place in search of food and resources, without having a permanent home

• Nomadism is the traditional way of life for many indigenous tribes.
• My friend is really into nomadism and loves to travel and live off the grid.
• Some people think nomadism is cool because you get to see so many different places.
• In a world full of constant change, embracing a sense of nomadism can be liberating.

noun the direction or position of something in relation to another

verb to align or position something correctly

adjective having an eastern or oriental influence

• It is important to orient new employees to the company's policies and procedures.
• Let me orient you to how things work around here.
• I'll show you the ropes and orient you to the job.
• He needed some time to orient himself to the new situation.

noun a journey, especially a long one, made to a sacred place as an act of religious devotion

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• Many people embark on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land as a religious journey.
• My family and I are planning a pilgrimage to visit all the national parks in the country.
• Dude, we should totally go on a pilgrimage to all the best food spots in the city.
• Embarking on a pilgrimage of self-discovery can lead to profound personal growth.

noun a belief in or worship of more than one god

• Polytheism is the belief in multiple deities or gods.
• Some ancient civilizations practiced polytheism.
• Polytheism was all the rage back in the day.
• In a world of polytheism, each god represents a different aspect of life.

verb to appease or pacify someone or something

• The villagers offered sacrifices to propitiate the angry gods.
• She tried to propitiate her boss by bringing him coffee every morning.
• I heard he's trying to propitiate his way back into the group after that fight.
• Her apology was meant to propitiate his wounded ego.

noun a political ideology or movement advocating or supporting a monarchy or monarch

• Royalism is the belief in the principles of a monarchy as a form of government.
• Some people still hold onto royalism as a way of preserving tradition and heritage.
• I don't get the appeal of royalism, it just seems outdated to me.
• In the world of fashion, the designer's royalism shines through in every regal-inspired piece.

adjective relating to or characterized by superstition; showing a belief in superstitions

• Many people are superstitious and believe in omens and signs.
• My grandma is superstitious and won't walk under a ladder.
• I don't mess with that superstitious stuff, it creeps me out.
• Being superstitious is like carrying around a pocketful of fears.

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, typically answering the questions of how, when, where, to what extent, or under what conditions

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

conjunction a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses

• Traditionally, this ceremony is performed by the village elders.
• We traditionally have a barbecue on the Fourth of July.
• We always traditionally hit up that diner after a night out.
• Traditionally speaking, he always plays it safe and never takes risks.

noun a type of keyboard layout commonly used in France and Belgium

• The AZERTY keyboard layout is commonly used in French-speaking countries.
• I find it easier to type on an AZERTY keyboard than on a QWERTY one.
• I can't stand using an AZERTY keyboard, it's so confusing!
• Learning to navigate through the new software was like trying to type on an AZERTY keyboard for the first time.

adjective relating to or characteristic of the home, family, or household

• The formestic policies of the government aim to promote economic stability within the country.
• She always follows the formestic guidelines when it comes to organizing her household.
• I'm not really into all that formestic stuff, I prefer a more laid-back approach to things.
• The formestic relationship between the two countries is crucial for maintaining peace in the region.

noun a type of water vessel commonly used in South Asia, typically made of brass or copper

• The lota is a traditional Indian vessel used for washing oneself.
• I always keep a lota in my bathroom for washing up.
• Hey, can you pass me that lota so I can freshen up?
• The lota symbolizes purity and cleanliness in many cultures.

noun a padlock that is attached to a bridge or other public structure by couples as a symbol of their love and commitment

• The couple placed a love lock on the bridge as a symbol of their commitment to each other.
• We should totally put a love lock on that fence over there!
• Let's grab a love lock and seal our love forever!
• The love lock represents the unbreakable bond between them.

noun In South Asian cultures, 'wasta' refers to the use of personal connections or influence to get things done, often bypassing official procedures or rules.

• In some countries, having wasta can greatly influence one's chances of getting a job.
• My cousin used his wasta to get me a discount on the car rental.
• She's always using her wasta to get out of doing any work.
• Having a strong network of connections is like having wasta in the business world.

noun the name of the martial art itself

• Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music.
• Have you ever tried capoeira? It's a really cool mix of martial arts and dance.
• I've been practicing capoeira for a while now and I'm starting to get the hang of it.
• In the game of life, sometimes you have to approach challenges with the agility and creativity of a capoeira master.

noun a group of people indigenous to Papua New Guinea, specifically found in the East Sepik Province

• The Abelams are an indigenous group living in the East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea.
• I heard the Abelams are known for their intricate wood carvings.
• Those Abelams sure know how to throw a good party!
• The Abelams' culture is like a colorful tapestry woven with tradition and history.

noun a plural noun referring to a group of people or things

• The achangs in the company's organizational structure were causing inefficiencies.
• We need to address the achangs in our team dynamics.
• Let's shake things up and get rid of the achangs in our project.
• The achangs in her life were like obstacles blocking her path to success.

noun a feeling of resentment or ill-will

verb to show resentment or ill-will

• The adaw of the new policy was thoroughly discussed during the board meeting.
• I heard some adaw about the upcoming project from a colleague.
• I can't believe the adaw that's going around about that celebrity!
• The adaw of rumors spread like wildfire through the small town.

noun a member of a group of Hindu scriptures

• The agama lizard is commonly found in sub-Saharan Africa.
• I saw an agama chilling on a rock during my hike.
• Check out that cool agama sunbathing over there.
• Her colorful personality was like an agama lizard, always brightening up the room.