Kulturkreis

noun

Kul·​tur·​kreis

-ˌkrīs

plural Kulturkreise

-īzə

: a culture complex developing in successive epochs from its center of origin and becoming diffused over large areas of the world

the horse-raising peoples in the primary herding Kulturkreise

—Lawrence Krader

the concept of the Kulturkreise developed by the Vienna school of ethnology

Word History

Etymology

German, from kultur + kreis area, circle, from Old High German kreiz circular line, encirclement, district; akin to Middle Low German kreit, krēt circle, enclosed dueling space, Old High German krizzōn to scratch in (as letters), krazzōn to scratch

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