irrigator
IH-rih-gay-ter
/ˈɪrɪɡeɪtər/
A mechanical system or device used to artificially supply water to land or crops to assist in their growth.
Refers to large-scale watering systems (like center-pivot or linear systems) rather than simple garden hoses or watering cans.
The story behind the word. The word comes from the Latin 'rigare', meaning to wet or moisten. Ancient civilizations, from the Mesopotamians to the Romans, built complex canal systems to 'irrigate' their dry fields, a practice that modern motorized irrigators have automated.
Word relationships
- watering system: A more general, non-technical term that can include residential lawn sprinklers.
Commonly confused with
- sprayer: An irrigator is used to deliver large volumes of water for hydration, while a sprayer is used to apply concentrated chemical treatments or nutrients.
Word family
- irrigate (verb): To supply water to land or crops to help growth.
- irrigation (noun): The artificial application of water to land.
Collocations
- center-pivot irrigator
- linear irrigator
- drip irrigator
Example sentences
- "During the mid-summer drought, the massive center-pivot irrigator kept the corn crop hydrated." Describing drought mitigation on a large farm.
Memory hook
Think of an 'irrigator' as an 'irritation' solver for thirsty crops. Irrigator = Artificial rainmaker.
When not to use
Do not use to describe natural rainfall or simple manual watering methods.
Fun facts
- When flying over the Midwestern United States, the perfect green circles you see from the airplane window are created by center-pivot irrigators rotating around a central water source.
Related words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.