kweken

Kweken is the act of cultivating or breeding living organisms, as well as the broader process of fostering growth in crops, animals, or microorganisms. In Dutch usage it covers gardening and agriculture, as well as laboratory culture. The term can describe raising plants in a nursery, breeding livestock, or growing microbial cultures for research or industry. The aims often include improving yield, health, traits, or understanding biological processes.

Etymology and related terms: the word comes from the Dutch verb kweken. In standard Dutch, kweken means to cultivate or to breed. Related forms include kweek, the noun for cultivation or breeding; a kweker, a breeder or propagator; and a kwekerij, a nursery or breeding site.

In agriculture and horticulture, kweken refers to activities such as planting and caring for crops, propagating cuttings, or selecting and raising breeding stock. In home gardening it can describe growing fruit, vegetables, or ornamentals. In animal husbandry it denotes selective breeding to enhance characteristics.

In microbiology and related sciences, culture or kweken means producing and maintaining growth of microorganisms under controlled conditions; this use requires appropriate facilities and biosafety practices. Outside science, it also means nurturing or developing skills, hobbies, or ideas, reflecting the broader sense of fostering growth and potential.