agriculture

noun

ag·​ri·​cul·​ture ˈa-gri-ˌkəl-chər 

: the science, art, or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock and in varying degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting products

cleared the land to use it for agriculture

agriculturist

ˌa-gri-ˈkəl-ch(ə-)rist 

noun

or agriculturalist

ˌa-gri-ˈkəl-ch(ə-)rə-list 

Synonyms

• farming
• husbandry

Examples of agriculture in a Sentence

They cleared the land to use it for agriculture.

the forest was cut down, and the land given over to agriculture

Recent Examples on the Web

Farming the Genetic Frontier Supporters see the biotechnology revolution in agriculture as a Promethean step forward, whereas critics see it as the start down a slope to futuristic disaster. —Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2024

But bottled water remained a tripwire, even though other industries, like agriculture, use significantly more. —Anna Clark, ProPublica, 6 June 2024

Climate & Environment Experts urge California to avoid pitfalls in water deals in the delta Feb. 22, 2024 The reservoir is planned to be built in a valley north of Sacramento to store water for agriculture and cities. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2024

But as the powers of the legislature grew on issues like banking rules, agriculture and the EU budget, so did voting interest and the quality of legislators. —Eli Joseph, Fortune Europe, 5 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin agricultura, from ager field + cultura cultivation — more at acre, culture

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing agriculture

• community-supported agriculture

Kids Definition

agriculture

noun

ag·​ri·​cul·​ture ˈag-ri-ˌkəl-chər 

: the science or occupation of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock : farming

agriculturist

ˌag-ri-ˈkəlch- (ə-)rəst 

noun

or agriculturalist

-(ə-)rə-ləst