kweek

Kweek is a term used in Dutch and Afrikaans to denote the act or result of cultivating, propagating, or breeding living organisms. As a noun, it refers to the process itself or to the stock produced, while the related verb kweken means to cultivate, raise, or breed.

In horticulture and agriculture, kweek describes propagation under controlled conditions, such as in nurseries, greenhouses, or tissue culture facilities. This can involve methods like seed propagation, cuttings, grafting, or plant tissue culture. The term is often contrasted with teelt, which tends to refer to field cultivation or farming of crops.

In biology and medicine, kweek is used to describe cell culture, tissue culture, or microbial culture performed in vitro. Laboratories use the concept of kweek to grow cells, tissues, or microorganisms under defined conditions for research, diagnostics, or production purposes.

In animal breeding, kweek denotes the systematic propagation of animals to enhance desirable traits, such as productivity, health, or temperament. Breeding programs may focus on genetics, lineage, and selective mating to improve stock over generations.

Originating in Dutch and Afrikaans, kweek reflects a broad concept of controlled growth and propagation across plants, animals, and cells. Its usage spans everyday language and professional contexts, including horticulture, agriculture, biology, and veterinary or medical sciences.