irrigation

American  

[ir-i-gey-shuhn] / ˌɪr ɪˈgeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the artificial application of water to land to assist in the production of crops.

2. Medicine/Medical. the flushing or washing out of anything with water or other liquid.

3. the state of being irrigated.

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irrigation Cultural  

1. Artificial provision of water to sustain growing plants.

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Irrigation accounts for the greatest part of water usage in the western United States.

Other Word Forms

• irrigational adjective
• nonirrigation noun
• overirrigation noun
• preirrigation noun
• preirrigational adjective
• proirrigation adjective
• reirrigation noun

Etymology

Origin of irrigation

First recorded in 1605–15, irrigation is from the Latin word irrigātiōn- (stem of irrigātiō ). See irrigate, -ion

Example Sentences

In the early 20th century, irrigation reforms turned the Mexican borderlands into rich terrain for cotton growing, attracting migrant laborers from all over the country.

From The Wall Street Journal

Albanian police said the body of a 54-year-old man was found in an irrigation canal after he was swept away in the port city of Durres, where hundreds were evacuated.

From Barron's

It built the local police station, an elementary school and the irrigation system in Rarotonga.

From The Wall Street Journal

He later sued the irrigation district in a dispute over water rights.

From Los Angeles Times

Farmers who didn't have irrigation systems would have suffered and those who could water their crops would have had higher electricity and fuel costs, he says.

From BBC