irrigate

I1R1R1I1G2A1T1E1
/ˈɪɹəˌɡeɪt/

verb

To supply (farmland) with water, by building ditches, pipes, etc.

“We need to irrigate the land before we plant the crops.”

Similar
water
OriginLatin irrigātus →
UncommonScrabble 9
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Meanings

verbirrigate (third-person singular simple present irrigates, present participle irrigating, simple past and past participle irrigated)

present singular third person irrigates · participle present irrigating · participle past irrigated · past irrigated

  1. transitiveTo supply (farmland) with water, by building ditches, pipes, etc.

    We need to irrigate the land before we plant the crops.

  2. transitiveTo clean (a wound) with a fluid.

    The nurse will show you how to irrigate the wound to prevent infection.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbsupply with water, as with channels or ditches or streams

Similar
water
Broader
wet
Also see
water

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinirrigātus
  2. Englishirrigate

First attested in 1615; borrowed from Latin irrigātus, perfect passive participle of irrigō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). See also Middle English irrigat(e) (“watered, irrigated”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἄρδω
  • ἄρδω (árdō)to supply farmland with water
Bulgarian поливам, напоявам
  • поливам (polivam)to supply farmland with water
  • напоявам (napojavam)to supply farmland with water
  • промивам (promivam)to clean a wound with a fluid
Catalan irrigar, irrigar
  • irrigarto supply farmland with water
  • irrigarto clean a wound with a fluid
Chinese Mandarin 灌溉, 沖洗 /冲洗
  • 灌溉 (guàngài)to supply farmland with water
  • 沖洗 /冲洗 (chōngxǐ)to clean a wound with a fluid
Czech zavlažovat
  • zavlažovatto supply farmland with water
Danish vande
  • vandeto supply farmland with water
Esperanto akvumi, akvumi
  • akvumito supply farmland with water
  • akvumito clean a wound with a fluid
Estonian niisutama
  • niisutamato supply farmland with water
Finnish kastella, puhdistaa haava nesteellä
  • kastellato supply farmland with water
  • puhdistaa haava nesteelläto clean a wound with a fluid
French irriguer
  • irriguerto supply farmland with water
German bewässern
  • bewässernto supply farmland with water
Irish uiscigh
  • uiscighto supply farmland with water
Latin irrigō
  • irrigōto supply farmland with water
Māori whakamākūkū, hāwaiwai
  • whakamākūkūto supply farmland with water
  • hāwaiwaito supply farmland with water
Polish nawodnić, nawadniać
  • nawodnićto supply farmland with water
  • nawadniaćto supply farmland with water
  • zrosićto supply farmland with water
  • zraszaćto supply farmland with water
  • przemyćto clean a wound with a fluid
  • przemywaćto clean a wound with a fluid
Portuguese irrigar
  • irrigarto supply farmland with water
Romanian iriga
  • irigato supply farmland with water
Russian ороша́ть, ороси́ть
  • ороша́ть (orošátʹ)to supply farmland with water
  • ороси́ть (orosítʹ)to supply farmland with water
  • ирриги́ровать (irrigírovatʹ)to supply farmland with water
  • промыва́ть (promyvátʹ)to clean a wound with a fluid
  • промы́ть (promýtʹ)to clean a wound with a fluid
  • спринцева́ть (sprincevátʹ)to clean a wound with a fluid
Spanish irrigar, irrigar
  • irrigarto supply farmland with water
  • irrigarto clean a wound with a fluid
Swahili mwagilia
  • mwagiliato supply farmland with water
Swedish bevattna, konstbevattna
  • bevattnato supply farmland with water
  • konstbevattnato supply farmland with water
Ukrainian зро́шувати, зроси́ти
  • зро́шувати (zróšuvaty)to supply farmland with water
  • зроси́ти (zrosýty)to supply farmland with water
Vietnamese tưới tiêu
  • tưới tiêuto supply farmland with water
Cite this entry
APA

irrigate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/irrigate

MLA

“irrigate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/irrigate. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “irrigate,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/irrigate.

Source: irrigate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.