irrigate

verb

ir·​ri·​gate ˈir-ə-ˌgāt 

irrigated; irrigating

transitive verb

1

: wet, moisten: such as

a

: to supply (land, crops, etc.) with water by artificial means

irrigating the cotton plants

irrigates 20 acres of farmland

b

: to flush (a body part) with a stream of liquid

irrigate the wound with saline solution

the eye was irrigated following chemical exposure

2

: to refresh as if by watering

intransitive verb

: to practice irrigation

A tensiometer (soil moisture probe), available at any garden center, helps take the guesswork out of irrigating.

—The Benicia (California) Herald

irrigator

ˈir-ə-ˌgā-tər 

noun

Synonyms

• rinse
• wash
• flush

Examples of irrigate in a Sentence

The surgeon irrigated the wound.

if you get the chemical in your eye, irrigate the eye thoroughly with water

Recent Examples on the Web

Its ditch and tunnel system that was used to irrigate sugar crops has since been transformed into a refreshing adventure course. —Rachel Ng, AFAR Media, 7 May 2025

Water Water plants regularly the first two years after planting, irrigating deeply once or twice per week. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2025

In addition, the agricultural runoff that nourished the lake has dwindled over the years as farmers irrigated more efficiently. —Jorge L. Ortiz, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2025

Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses under the vegetables to irrigate the,m but leave nearby weeds without water. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 22 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin irrigatus, past participle of irrigare, from in- + rigare to water; perhaps akin to Old High German regan rain — more at rain

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for irrigate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

Kids Definition

irrigate

verb

ir·​ri·​gate ˈir-ə-ˌgāt 

irrigated; irrigating

1

: to supply with water by artificial means

irrigate a field

irrigate crops

2

: to flush with a liquid

irrigate a wound

Medical Definition

irrigate

transitive verb

ir·​ri·​gate ˈir-ə-ˌgāt 

irrigated; irrigating

: to flush (a body part) with a stream of liquid

irrigate the wound with saline to remove debris

the eye was irrigated for 10 minutes following chemical exposure

irrigation

ˌir-ə-ˈgā-shən 

noun