arable: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Technical, Academic
Quick answer
What does “arable” mean?
Suitable for growing crops.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Suitable for growing crops; land that can be ploughed and used for farming.
Pertaining to or involving the cultivation of land for crops. Can be used metaphorically to describe something fertile or productive.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The word is used in identical contexts in both varieties.
Connotations
Neutral/technical in both. Associated with agriculture, land management, and economics.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in UK English due to historical and ongoing public discourse about land use and farming subsidies (e.g., Common Agricultural Policy).
Grammar
How to Use “arable” in a Sentence
[be] arable[make/convert/rendered] arablearable + noun (land, farm, etc.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “arable” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The land was arableed and sown with barley. (Rare/archaic, not standard modern use)
American English
- The field was arableed for the spring planting. (Rare/archaic, not standard modern use)
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial form]
American English
- [No standard adverbial form]
adjective
British English
- The council debated the conversion of greenbelt land to arable use.
American English
- The investor purchased thousands of acres of arable farmland in the Midwest.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in reports on agricultural commodities, land investment, and sustainability.
Academic
Common in geography, agricultural science, environmental studies, and economic history.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation. Might appear in news about farming, food security, or land development.
Technical
A precise term in agronomy, soil science, and land-use planning.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “arable”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “arable”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “arable”
- Using it to describe crops ('arable wheat' is wrong). Confusing it with 'irrigated' (arable land may not be irrigated). Overusing in non-agricultural contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Overwhelmingly yes. It is an adjective primarily describing land suitable for ploughing and crop cultivation. Other uses (e.g., 'arable farming') derive from this core meaning.
Common opposites include 'infertile', 'barren', and 'uncultivable'. In technical contexts, 'non-arable' is used.
Potentially, yes. If the forest is cleared and the soil is suitable, the land could be described as having 'arable potential'. The term focuses on inherent soil/land capability, not current use.
The direct noun 'arable' is not standard. The concept is expressed as 'arable land'. The rare noun 'arability' exists but is seldom used.
Suitable for growing crops.
Arable is usually formal, technical, academic in register.
Arable: in British English it is pronounced /ˈær.ə.bəl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈer.ə.bəl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'A RABBIT would struggle to live on ARABLE land because it's for crops, not burrows.' Or: 'ARABLE = Able to be ploughed for Agriculture.'
Conceptual Metaphor
LAND IS A RESOURCE (for production). FERTILITY IS WEALTH.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'arable' used correctly?