a large farm or estate in a tropical or semitropical zone, for the cultivation of cotton, tobacco, coffee, sugarcane, etc., typically by enslaved, unpaid, or low-wage resident laborers.
a group of planted trees or plants.
History/Historical.
a colony or new settlement.
the establishment of a colony or new settlement.
Archaic. the planting of seeds, young trees, etc.
an estate, esp in tropical countries, where cash crops such as rubber, oil palm, etc, are grown on a large scale
a group of cultivated trees or plants
(formerly) a colony or group of settlers
rare the planting of seeds, shoots, etc
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English plantacioune, from Latin plantātiōn- (stem of plantātiō ) “a planting”; see plant (verb), -ation
A plantation is a large agricultural property dedicated to planting a few crops on a large scale. If you dream of having 3,000 acres to raise cucumbers on, then you have dreams of a cucumber plantation. Plantation doesn't have to only mean massive single-product farms. A small grove of trees is also called a plantation, but usually when we use the word we mean the big farms. In the United States prior to the Civil War, crops like cotton and tobacco were grown on plantations in the South by exploiting the labor of enslaved people. In Latin America, many international companies own banana and coffee plantations.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Oil and gas, plantation, and renewable energy stocks could benefit, while contractors may face margin pressure from higher transport and logistics costs, he says.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
Audubon, who was born in Haiti and grew up in France, moved to Pennsylvania where he lived on his father's plantation.
From BBC • May 1, 2026
In “The Oyster Diaries,” Delery runs into Claude, a “portly fifty-year-old” living in seclusion in an overgrown plantation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
In 1779, as British troops approached, the Silver Bluff plantation owner abandoned the property.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
Wild game was plentiful on the plantation, and one of the few ways that enslaved people could earn any money was to hunt or trap birds to sell to Washington.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
