Meaning & use
agricultural
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Connected with farming, including growing crops and raising animals for food.
Grammar: Usually comes before the noun: agricultural land. The noun it describes is agriculture.
Patterns
- agricultural land
- agricultural production
- the agricultural sector
Most of the country's agricultural land is used for wheat and cattle.
Agricultural output fell sharply after the long drought.
adjectivebefore a nounformal
Studying or concerned with the science and business of farming as a field of education or policy.
Grammar: Also before a noun: an agricultural college. Used in formal and institutional contexts.
Patterns
- agricultural college
- agricultural policy
- agricultural research
She studied soil science at an agricultural college.
The new agricultural policy offers subsidies to small farmers.
Common combinations
- agricultural land
- The valley is protected agricultural land and cannot be built on.
- agricultural products
- The region exports agricultural products such as rice and coffee.
- agricultural machinery
- Tractors and other agricultural machinery are kept in the barn.
- the agricultural sector
- The agricultural sector employs a third of the workforce.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- agriculture noun
- The practice or science of farming.
- agriculturalist noun
- An expert in farming and agricultural science.
- agriculturally adverb
- In a way connected with farming.
Commonly confused: agricultural or agriculture?
agricultural vs agriculture
Agriculture is the noun (the activity); agricultural is its adjective: agriculture is important; agricultural land.
Practice
Which sentence uses the correct form?
Choose one answer.
An adjective is needed before 'exports', so 'agricultural' is correct. 'Agriculture' is a noun and 'agriculturally' is an adverb, so neither can modify the noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “agricultural”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.