arable

1 of 2

adjective

ar·​a·​ble ˈa-rə-bəl How to pronounce arable (audio)
ˈer-ə-
1
: fit for or used for the growing of crops
arable land
2
British : engaged in, produced by, or being the cultivation of arable land
arable farming
arable farmers
arability noun

arable

2 of 2

noun

chiefly British
: land fit or used for the growing of crops
also : a plot of such land
the village arable of Anglo-Saxon times

Examples of arable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
But the authors of the new study write that past work overestimated the extent of rock gardens by misidentifying roads, lava flows and vegetation for arable land. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024 The site was abandoned in the 15th century due to the possible exhaustion of local resources like gold, water, and arable land. Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 5 June 2024
Noun
About 13% of the land is arable, with microclimates suited to nearly every crop. The Economist, 28 May 2020 Today, the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon run the estate, spanning 5,000 acres with 4,000 acres of arable farming. Rachel King, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2019 See all Example Sentences for arable 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'arable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin arabilis, from arare to plow; akin to Old English erian to plow, Greek aroun

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1576, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of arable was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near arable

Cite this Entry

“Arable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arable. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

arable

adjective
ar·​a·​ble
ˈar-ə-bəl
: fit for or cultivated by plowing : suitable for producing crops
arable soil
arability
ˌar-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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