ir-ih-GAY-shun
Irrigation is the artificial application of water to land or soil to assist in the growth of agricultural crops and vegetation. This ancient practice, dating back over 6,000 years, involves various methods of distributing water through channels, pipes, sprinklers, or drip systems to supplement insufficient rainfall and ensure optimal plant growth.
Yes. IRRIGATION is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 11 points in Scrabble, 13 in Words With Friends and 12 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | I | R | R | I | G | A | T | I | O | N | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| Words With Friends | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 13 |
| Wordfeud | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
Irrigation is the controlled application of water to agricultural land to supplement natural rainfall and ensure adequate moisture for crop growth. This essential agricultural practice involves the design, installation, and management of systems that deliver water to plants at the right time and in the right amounts, maximizing crop yield while conserving water resources.
Beyond simple watering, irrigation represents a complex science that considers soil types, crop water requirements, climate conditions, and water availability. Modern irrigation systems range from traditional surface methods like furrow and flood irrigation to sophisticated technologies including center-pivot sprinklers, drip irrigation, and computer-controlled micro-irrigation systems that optimize water usage down to individual plants.
The practice of irrigation has shaped civilizations throughout history. Ancient irrigation systems along the Nile, Tigris-Euphrates, and Indus rivers enabled the rise of the world's first major civilizations. Today, irrigated agriculture produces about 40% of the world's food supply on just 20% of cultivated land, highlighting its crucial role in global food security.
The word "irrigation" derives from the Latin "irrigatio," from the verb "irrigare" meaning "to water, to moisten, to flood." This Latin root combines "ir-" (variant of "in-" meaning "into") + "rigare" (to water, to wet), which is related to "rain" and shares Indo-European roots with words for moisture and flow.
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of IRRIGATION.
Hooks: no front hooks; back IRRIGATIONS.
Words inside IRRIGATION: 169 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: RIGATONIAIRTINGGRANTORIGNITORORATINGRIOTINGROARINGTARRINGAIRINGGARRONGITANOGRATIN. See all words from IRRIGATION.