Origin: Latin suffix -ure
Agriculture has 5 different meanings across 1 category:
a large-scale farming enterprise
"The government announced new subsidies to help struggling small farmers compete with the massive agriculture corporation buying up local land."
the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock
"The family moved to the countryside so they could finally start their own agriculture by planting crops and keeping cows on their new plot."
the federal department that administers programs that provide services to farmers (including research and soil conservation and efforts to stabilize the farming economy); created in 1862
"After years of struggling with drought, the old couple finally received vital subsidies from agriculture when the new secretary took office."
the class of people engaged in growing food
"The local agriculture union voted to raise wages for all farm workers involved in crop production."
The art or science of cultivating the ground, including the harvesting of crops, and the rearing and management of livestock
"Modern agriculture has evolved to include high-tech irrigation systems that support both crop cultivation and efficient livestock management."
In plain English: Agriculture is the practice of farming crops and raising animals to produce food and other useful materials.
"Many farmers in the valley rely on agriculture to support their families."
Usage: Use agriculture to describe the broad practice of farming that includes growing crops and raising animals. Avoid using it interchangeably with specific farm tasks like plowing or planting, which have their own distinct verbs.
The word agriculture comes from the Latin agricultura, which combines words meaning "field" and "cultivation." It entered English through Middle French before becoming part of our own language to describe farming practices.