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