farming

American  

[fahr-ming] / ˈfɑr mɪŋ /

noun

1. the business of operating a farm.

2. the practice of letting or leasing taxes, revenue, etc., for collection.

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farming British  

/ ˈfɑːmɪŋ /

noun

1. 1. the business, art, or skill of agriculture

   2. ( as modifier )

      farming methods

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Other Word Forms

• self-farming noun
• unfarming adjective

Etymology

Origin of farming

First recorded in 1545–55; farm + -ing ¹

Explanation

Farming is the act or process of working the ground, planting seeds, and growing edible plants. You can also describe raising animals for milk or meat as farming. Farming is a great way to describe the lifestyle and work of people whose jobs are in the agriculture industry. People often have a romantic idea of what farming is like — roosters crowing, farmers driving tractors and milking goats — although farming can be very hard work, dependent on food prices and weather. The noun farm originally meant "a lease on farm land," and it comes from the Medieval Latin firma, "fixed payment."

Example Sentences

Michigan has big prospects in solar farming — measured by the expected growth in the capacity of its farms to add electricity directly to the grid.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2026

Abeta says the administration is also developing ocean farming of species like milkfish, snapper and sea cucumbers to support exports and domestic food security.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

The European Commission meanwhile is reviewing a citizen's initiative that drew millions of signatures urging an EU-wide ban on fur farming.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

He isn’t interested in farming, but his parents are urging him to come home and work on their fields.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

The soft glow of the computer screen lit up her face as she studied farming.

From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown

Related Words

• agriculture
• breeding
• cultivation
• culture
• gardening
• grazing
• production
• ranching