Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Plantation has 4 different meanings across 1 category:
an estate where cash crops are grown on a large scale (especially in tropical areas)
"The historic plantation in Florida once produced vast quantities of sugarcane for export."
a newly established colony (especially in the colonization of North America)
"the practice of sending convicted criminals to serve on the Plantations was common in the 17th century"
garden consisting of a small cultivated wood without undergrowth
"The ancient plantation stood as a dense, cultivated wood where sunlight filtered through the canopy but no saplings grew beneath."
A large farm; estate or area of land designated for agricultural growth. Often includes housing for the owner and workers.
"The historic plantation featured sprawling cotton fields alongside modest cottages where both the owners and their enslaved laborers lived."
In plain English: A plantation is a large farm where crops are grown using many workers, often under strict control by an owner.
"The old plantation has been turned into a historic museum for visitors to see."
Usage: A plantation refers specifically to a very large farm, typically in tropical regions, dedicated to growing cash crops like cotton or sugar cane rather than general food production. Unlike smaller family farms, these estates historically included extensive worker housing alongside the main agricultural operations.
The word "plantation" comes from the Middle French term plantation, which was borrowed directly from Latin to mean an act of planting or transplanting. It entered English with this original sense before later developing its specific association with large agricultural estates.