aquaculture
noun
aqua·cul·ture
ˈä-kwə-ˌkəl-chər 
ˈa-
variants
or less commonly aquiculture
: the cultivation of aquatic organisms (such as fish or shellfish) especially for food
aquaculture
transitive verb
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For most of the modern history of aquaculture, only costly fish and shellfish like salmon and shrimp were harvested. But new technologies are allowing cheaper and more efficient cultivation of fish for food, and such common fish as cod are now being farmed. Seaweeds and other algae are also being grown--for food (mostly in Asia), cattle feed, fertilizer, and experimentally as a source of energy. Aquaculture is now the world's fastest-growing form of food production.
Examples of aquaculture in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Panels during the interim study recess don’t normally draw a large crowd, but this month’s panels on public safety, sea level rise and the economy, and fisheries and aquaculture drew larger crowds.
—
Kate Wolffe
october 17, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Farmers heat greenhouses and dry crops; aquaculture facilities maintain optimal water temperatures; industrial operations use the heat to dehydrate food, cure concrete or other energy-intensive processes.
—Moones Alamooti, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2025
Agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers — with the exception of small aquaculture enterprises — are not eligible for the loans.
—Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025
In Nigeria, aquaculture producers worked with the Acorn, an initiative of Rabobank, to restore mangroves, protecting coastlines while boosting fish populations.
—Felipe Arango, Sourcing Journal, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aquaculture
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Kate Wolffe
october 17, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Farmers heat greenhouses and dry crops; aquaculture facilities maintain optimal water temperatures; industrial operations use the heat to dehydrate food, cure concrete or other energy-intensive processes.
—Moones Alamooti, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2025
Agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers — with the exception of small aquaculture enterprises — are not eligible for the loans.
—Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025
In Nigeria, aquaculture producers worked with the Acorn, an initiative of Rabobank, to restore mangroves, protecting coastlines while boosting fish populations.
—Felipe Arango, Sourcing Journal, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aquaculture
Cite this Entry
“Aquaculture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aquaculture. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
aquaculture
noun
aqua·cul·ture
ˈak-wə-ˌkəl-ˌchər
äk-
: the cultivation of living things (as fish or shellfish) naturally occurring in water
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