Origin: Latin suffix -ure
Aquaculture has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
rearing aquatic animals or cultivating aquatic plants for food
"The local community relies on aquaculture to raise shrimp and cultivate seaweed for their daily meals."
The cultivation of aquatic produce such as aquatic plants, fish, and other aquatic animals.
"The local community relies heavily on aquaculture to grow shrimp and seaweed in the coastal ponds."
In plain English: Aquaculture is farming fish and other seafood by raising them in controlled environments instead of catching wild ones.
"Many coastal communities rely on aquaculture to raise fish and shellfish for local consumption."
Usage: Do not confuse this term with "agriculture," which refers specifically to farming on land rather than in water-based environments. It is the standard technical term for raising aquatic species, whereas casual speech might simply use phrases like "fish farming" or "seafood production."
The word comes from combining Latin aqua, meaning water, with French culture. It entered English to describe the practice of farming aquatic organisms like fish and plants.