drip irrigation

American  

noun

1. a system of crop irrigation involving the controlled delivery of water directly to individual plants through a network of tubes or pipes.

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Etymology

Origin of drip irrigation

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

The plants are growing lustily in late summer, although Kolding only waters them once a week on Saturdays for a hour with drip irrigation.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 26, 2025

The American Farm Bureau Federation says on its website that farmers can reduce water use by up to 40% by getting moisture directly to each plant through drip irrigation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Aug. 26, 2025

“I didn’t know how that was going to be possible, because we had many more plants to water, but switching to drip irrigation made such a difference from regular sprinklers.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 15, 2024

Amazon will partner with a water technology startup to help farmers along the river install drip irrigation systems on 165 acres of farmland.

From Salon • Sep. 6, 2024

To use drip irrigation it is not necessary to invest in pipes, emitters, filters, pressure regulators, and so forth.

From Gardening Without Irrigation: or without much, anyway by Solomon, Steve