cultured meat: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Technical, academic, business, journalistic. Emerging in everyday contexts.
Quick answer
What does “cultured meat” mean?
A type of meat produced by in-vitro cultivation of animal cells, not harvested from slaughtered animals.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A type of meat produced by in-vitro cultivation of animal cells, not harvested from slaughtered animals.
A sustainable food technology product designed as an alternative to conventional livestock farming, often framed as a solution for environmental, ethical, and food security challenges.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Both regions use the term. 'Clean meat' is a slightly more common alternative marketing term in the US, while 'cultured meat' is more prevalent in EU/UK regulatory and academic discourse.
Connotations
In the UK/EU, the term often carries stronger regulatory and scientific connotations. In the US, it may be more associated with tech innovation and market disruption.
Frequency
Increasingly common in both varieties due to global discourse on food tech. Slightly higher media frequency in the US market.
Grammar
How to Use “cultured meat” in a Sentence
[Subject: company/researchers] + [Verb: produce/develop] + cultured meat[Cultured meat] + [Verb: aims to/offers] + [Object: solution/alternative][Adjective: regulatory/public] + [Noun: acceptance/concern] + [Preposition: about/for] + cultured meatVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cultured meat” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The firm aims to culture meat at an industrial scale.
- Scientists have been culturing meat cells for a decade.
American English
- The startup is culturing meat from chicken cells.
- They plan to culture enough meat for a pilot launch.
adverb
British English
- [Not typically used as an adverb for this term]
American English
- [Not typically used as an adverb for this term]
adjective
British English
- The cultured-meat sector is seeking clearer regulations.
- They attended a cultured-meat innovation conference.
American English
- Cultured-meat companies are lobbying for approval.
- The cultured-meat market analysis is promising.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Discussing market potential, startups, and investments: 'VC funding for cultured meat startups soared last quarter.'
Academic
Analyzing bioprocess engineering or sustainability impacts: 'The life cycle assessment of cultured meat shows reduced land use.'
Everyday
Discussing future food choices or news articles: 'Would you ever try cultured meat?'
Technical
Describing the scientific process: 'Cultured meat is produced by proliferating myosatellite cells in a bioreactor.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cultured meat”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cultured meat”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cultured meat”
- Using 'cultured meat' to refer to plant-based burgers like Impossible Foods (these are different). Saying 'culture meat' (missing the -ed). Confusing it with 'fermented meat' like salami.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not considered vegan as it is derived from animal cells, though it is often described as 'slaughter-free'. It is targeted at flexitarians and meat-eaters.
No. Plant-based meat (e.g., Beyond Burger) uses ingredients like peas and soy. Cultured meat is actual animal tissue grown from cells.
Proponents argue it could be safer due to controlled, sterile conditions free from animal-borne pathogens, but it requires rigorous regulatory approval like any novel food.
Limited products are available in select restaurants in some countries (e.g., Singapore). Widespread retail availability depends on scaling production and achieving regulatory approval, likely later this decade.
A type of meat produced by in-vitro cultivation of animal cells, not harvested from slaughtered animals.
Cultured meat is usually technical, academic, business, journalistic. emerging in everyday contexts. in register.
Cultured meat: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkʌltʃəd miːt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkʌltʃərd mit/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this specific compound noun]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'cultured' like yogurt (cultured dairy) – grown under controlled conditions, not taken directly from an animal.
Conceptual Metaphor
MEAT IS A TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT (e.g., 'meat 2.0', 'brewing meat'). FOOD PRODUCTION IS LABORATORY SCIENCE.
Practice
Quiz
What is the key defining feature of 'cultured meat'?