aquaculture

noun

aqua·​cul·​ture ˈä-kwə-ˌkəl-chər How to pronounce aquaculture (audio)
ˈa-
variants or less commonly aquiculture
: the cultivation of aquatic organisms (such as fish or shellfish) especially for food
aquacultural adjective
aquaculture transitive verb
aquaculturist noun

Did you know?

For most of the modern history of aquaculture, only costly fish and shellfish like salmon and shrimp were harvested. But new technologies are allowing cheaper and more efficient cultivation of fish for food, and such common fish as cod are now being farmed. Seaweeds and other algae are also being grown--for food (mostly in Asia), cattle feed, fertilizer, and experimentally as a source of energy. Aquaculture is now the world's fastest-growing form of food production.

Examples of aquaculture in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
They were first imported to the southeastern U.S. in the 1970s to control weeds in aquaculture farms and eventually escaped into the river. Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2024 Souza told us about the early islanders’ sophisticated system of aquaculture and pointed out the eel, barracuda, and — excitement! — puffer fish that live in the ponds today. Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2024 But famed ecologist and author Carl Safina, in a recent commentary, called for something grander: a clear-eyed look at aquaculture’s environmental and social harms — one that would require us to fundamentally rethink aquaculture. Kenny Torrella, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018 Economic injury disaster loans are working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, and small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations meet financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of a disaster. Mae Anderson, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for aquaculture 

Word History

Etymology

Latin aqua + English -culture (as in agriculture)

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aquaculture was in 1864

Dictionary Entries Near aquaculture

Cite this Entry

“Aquaculture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aquaculture. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

aquaculture

noun
aqua·​cul·​ture ˈak-wə-ˌkəl-ˌchər How to pronounce aquaculture (audio)
äk-
: the cultivation of living things (as fish or shellfish) naturally occurring in water
aquaculturist noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!