permaculture
PER-muh-kul-cher
/ˈpɜːrməkʌltʃər/
An approach to land management and settlement design that adopts arrangements observed in flourishing natural ecosystems.
It is a design system, not just a farming method; it includes water harvesting, energy use, and social structures.
The story behind the word. Coined by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in the 1970s. It was originally a portmanteau of 'permanent agriculture,' but they later expanded it to mean 'permanent culture,' acknowledging that social systems must also be sustainable.
Word relationships
- ecological design: Ecological design is a broader term, while permaculture is a specific set of principles developed in the 1970s.
- industrial agriculture: Industrial agriculture relies on external inputs and monocultures, whereas permaculture relies on internal cycles and diversity.
Commonly confused with
- organic farming: Organic farming is about what you don't use (chemicals); permaculture is about how you design the system.
Word family
- permaculturalist (noun): A practitioner of permaculture.
Collocations
- permaculture design
- permaculture principles
- permaculture garden
Example sentences
- "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature." The core philosophy of the movement. (Bill Mollison.)
Memory hook
Permanent + Culture. A culture of farming that is permanent because it doesn't destroy its own foundation. Permaculture = Permanent Agriculture.
When not to use
Do not use it as a synonym for 'gardening'; it is a much broader philosophy of design.
Fun facts
- Permaculture uses 'zones' (0 to 5) to organize a farm based on how often a human needs to visit each area.
Explore more words
sustainable, slash-and-burn, agronomy, biomimicry, regenerative, sustainability
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.