agriculture

noun

ag·​ri·​cul·​ture ˈa-gri-ˌkəl-chər How to pronounce agriculture (audio)
: 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 noun

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
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.
Two programs remain: — An ag farmlands workshop will be held at 2 p.m. June 23 at the Lake County Board of County Commissioners chambers, 315 W. Main St., Tavares, with a discussion on local agriculture challenges and available resources. Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2025 Laborers without legal authorization to live and work in the U.S. make up a significant portion of the workforce, especially in industries such as agriculture and hospitality, said Jean Reisz, co-director of the USC Gould School of Law Immigration Clinic. Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025 Rollins reportedly personally lobbied Trump to make the change after hearing from farmers and agriculture groups who were staring down economic ruin, blindsiding the immigration hawks. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 18 June 2025 One day after the raid, city officials cited reports from employers in the region’s construction, food and agriculture industries, saying many of their workers didn’t show up. Ashley Killough, CNN Money, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for agriculture

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of agriculture was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Agriculture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agriculture. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

agriculture

noun
ag·​ri·​cul·​ture ˈag-ri-ˌkəl-chər How to pronounce agriculture (audio)
: the science or occupation of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock : farming
agriculturist noun
or agriculturalist

More from Merriam-Webster on agriculture

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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