sericulture

noun

seri·​cul·​ture ˈser-ə-ˌkəl-chər How to pronounce sericulture (audio)
: the production of raw silk by raising silkworms
sericultural
ˌser-ə-ˈkəl-chə-rəl How to pronounce sericulture (audio)
-ˈkəlch-rəl
adjective
sericulturist
ˌser-ə-ˈkəl-chə-rist How to pronounce sericulture (audio)
noun

Examples of sericulture in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Significantly more expensive than cotton, silk’s reliance on sericulture also affects supply stability and scalability. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026 Upon penalty of death or exile, sericulture (the practice of cultivating silkworms to produce silk) was kept a state secret within China until insects were smuggled out and a shift of powers ensued. — Barrett Klein, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Oct. 2024 Guests get to see the art of sericulture (silk production) up close and the craft of weaving some of the finest silk textiles on earth. — Kamalpreet Singh, Travel + Leisure, 19 June 2024 Once their cocoon is complete, the sericulture process traditionally includes killing the silkworm by boiling or steaming it alive. — Ryan Egglestone, Discover Magazine, 12 Jan. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Latin sericum silk + English culture

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sericulture was in 1840

Rhymes for sericulture

See All Rhymes for sericulture

Browse Nearby Words

sericultural
sericulture
seriema
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sericulture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sericulture. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

sericulture

noun
seri·​cul·​ture ˈser-ə-ˌkəl-chər How to pronounce sericulture (audio)
: the production of raw silk by raising silkworms

More from Merriam-Webster on sericulture

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sericulture

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All