arable
AIR-uh-bul
/ˈær.ə.bəl/
Suitable for plowing and growing crops.
Refers specifically to land capable of being cultivated for field crops, distinct from grazing pasture or forest.
The story behind the word. Derived from Latin 'arare' (to plow) via Old French. In Roman law, 'terra arabilis' designated land that could be broken up by an ox-drawn plow as opposed to rocky hills or marshes.
Word relationships
- tillable: Tillable is a direct Germanic synonym meaning able to be plowed, whereas arable is the formal Latinate term used in geography and economics.
- cultivable: Cultivable can apply broadly to any land where plants can grow, while arable specifically implies suitability for plowed row crops.
- barren: Barren land cannot support plant growth at all.
- infertile: Infertile soil is incapable of yielding crops.
Commonly confused with
- pastoral: Pastoral land is used for grazing animals, whereas arable land is plowed for growing crops.
Word family
- arability (noun): The quality or state of being arable.
Collocations
- arable land
- arable farming
- arable acreage
- convert to arable
Example sentences
- "Only a small percentage of the nation's total land area is arable due to mountainous terrain." Global land assessment
Memory hook
ARABLE = ABLE to be plowed like an ARROW cutting through soil. Arable = able to be plowed.
When not to use
Do not use to describe land that is only suitable for livestock pasture.
Fun facts
- Less than 11% of the Earth's total land surface is considered arable naturally.
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