irrigation

[ir-i-gey-shuhn]

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.

irrigation

1. Artificial provision of water to sustain growing plants.

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of irrigation¹

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

Example Sentences

Bishop said she and her partner spent $230,000 on a new irrigation system, cleaning equipment, trash removal and staff salaries.

From Los Angeles Times

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

Decades of farming and irrigation have degraded the soil, drawing salts and metals to the surface.

From Los Angeles Times

Similarly, they taught themselves how to install drip irrigation, select native plants and design their garden using resources such as the Waterwise Garden Planner and Calscape websites.

From Los Angeles Times

MWD’s plans for the Carson facility call for initially using the recycled water for outdoor irrigation and to recharge groundwater basins, where it would be stored and then pumped out for use.

From Los Angeles Times