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

• flush
• rinse
• sluice
• wash
• wash out

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

Salmonella can be spread via contaminated water errantly used to irrigate crops, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. —Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 30 Nov. 2024

The water has been used to irrigate a wide variety of crops, including nuts, fruits, tomatoes, cotton and cattle-feed crops to supply dairies and feedlots. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 25 Nov. 2024

Managers have replaced more than 50 acres of turf with native grasses and wildflowers, and use gray water to irrigate the fairways and greens. —Graham Averill, Outside Online, 24 Nov. 2024

Historically, the Salton Sea has relied on agricultural runoff from nearby farms in the Imperial Valley for much of its water, as farmers used Colorado River water to irrigate crops, and the excess runoff would flow into the lake. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

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

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