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
Did you know?
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
The modern industry is dominated by Omega Protein, a Reedville, Virginia, company that is a subsidiary of Canadian aquaculture giant Cooke.
—
Danny Bakst, Fortune, 13 July 2025
The award recognizes a long-time commitment of service to aquaculture that is deemed highly significant and enduring.
—Arkansas Online, 22 June 2025
To expand total food production and strengthen the resilience of global supply chains, scaling up sustainable aquaculture and ensuring responsible international management of wild fish stocks will be essential.
—Sturla Henriksen, Time, 5 June 2025
Kurtz points to revised oyster goals, which include mention of aquaculture and the native fishery, rather than on oyster sanctuaries — where no harvesting occurs.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for aquaculture
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.
Danny Bakst, Fortune, 13 July 2025
The award recognizes a long-time commitment of service to aquaculture that is deemed highly significant and enduring.
—Arkansas Online, 22 June 2025
To expand total food production and strengthen the resilience of global supply chains, scaling up sustainable aquaculture and ensuring responsible international management of wild fish stocks will be essential.
—Sturla Henriksen, Time, 5 June 2025
Kurtz points to revised oyster goals, which include mention of aquaculture and the native fishery, rather than on oyster sanctuaries — where no harvesting occurs.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 8 July 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 29 Jul. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share