horticulture
noun
Did you know?
Hortus is Latin for "garden", and the first gardens were planted about 10,000 years ago in what is often called the Fertile Crescent—the crescent-shaped area stretching from Israel north through Syria and down Iraq's two great rivers to the Persian Gulf. Probably more fertile in previous centuries than it is today, it was the original home of such food plants as wheat, barley, peas, and lentils or their ancient ancestors (not to mention the ancestors of cows, pigs, sheep, and goats as well). Many horticulturists today work as researchers or plant breeders or tend orchards and greenhouses—but most American households contain at least one amateur horticulturist.
Examples of horticulture in a Sentence
April 16, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
The Best Time to Water If everyone were awake in the morning before dawn, then that would be the ideal time, says Vikram Baliga, an assistant professor of horticulture at Texas Tech University.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 14 Apr. 2026
When shopping for annuals for your pots, window boxes, and garden beds, take a cue from horticulture pro Becky Lacy and choose plants with nonstop color.
—Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 14 Apr. 2026
Markis Hill is a Johnson County, Kansas State University Extension horticulture agent.
—Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for horticulture
Cite this Entry
“Horticulture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horticulture. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
horticulture
noun
