center-pivot irrigation: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1technical, academic
Quick answer
What does “center-pivot irrigation” mean?
A method of crop irrigation where equipment rotates around a central pivot, creating large circular fields.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A method of crop irrigation where equipment rotates around a central pivot, creating large circular fields.
A large-scale agricultural irrigation system consisting of a line of sprinklers mounted on wheeled towers, moving in a circular pattern around a fixed central point, fed by groundwater or surface water.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Primarily 'center-pivot' in US English, following US spelling of 'center'. In British English, the term is used but may be spelled as 'centre-pivot irrigation' in some contexts, though the technology name is often adopted as-is.
Connotations
Strongly associated with industrial-scale agriculture, particularly in the US Great Plains. Can have negative connotations in discussions about groundwater depletion.
Frequency
More frequent in American English due to the prevalence of the technology in US agriculture. In British English, it's a specialist agricultural/geography term.
Grammar
How to Use “center-pivot irrigation” in a Sentence
NOUN of center-pivot irrigationVERB center-pivot irrigationADJ center-pivot irrigationVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “center-pivot irrigation” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The farm is being converted to centre-pivot irrigate its wheat crop.
- They decided to centre-pivot irrigate to reduce labour costs.
American English
- The new owners plan to center-pivot irrigate the entire section.
- We should center-pivot irrigate this field next season.
adverb
British English
- The land was farmed centre-pivot irrigatedly.
- The water was applied centre-pivot irrigatedly.
American English
- The crops are grown center-pivot irrigatedly across the plains.
- Water is distributed center-pivot irrigatedly.
adjective
British English
- The centre-pivot irrigated fields were visible on the satellite image.
- It was a large centre-pivot irrigation project.
American English
- Center-pivot irrigated circles dominate the landscape in Nebraska.
- The center-pivot irrigation equipment needed maintenance.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Investment in center-pivot irrigation has increased yields by 40% in the region.
Academic
The study analyzed the hydrological impact of center-pivot irrigation on the Ogallala Aquifer.
Everyday
From the plane, you can see all the perfect circles from the center-pivot irrigation.
Technical
The new model features GPS-guided center-pivot irrigation with variable rate technology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “center-pivot irrigation”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “center-pivot irrigation”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “center-pivot irrigation”
- Misspelling as 'center-pivotal irrigation' (incorrect).
- Using as a verb incorrectly: 'They center-pivot irrigate the field' (awkward). Better: 'They use center-pivot irrigation on the field.')
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The irrigation system rotates around a fixed central pivot point, watering crops in a circular pattern determined by the length of the sprinkler pipeline.
It allows for highly efficient, automated watering of large areas with relatively low labor input compared to traditional methods.
It can lead to severe depletion of underground aquifers (groundwater) because it enables farming in areas where natural rainfall is insufficient.
In informal technical contexts, it can be verbed (e.g., 'to center-pivot a field'), but formally it's more common to say 'to use center-pivot irrigation' or 'to irrigate using a center-pivot system'.
A method of crop irrigation where equipment rotates around a central pivot, creating large circular fields.
Center-pivot irrigation is usually technical, academic in register.
Center-pivot irrigation: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsen.tə ˈpɪv.ət ˌɪr.ɪˈɡeɪ.ʃən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsen.t̬ɚ ˈpɪv.ət ˌɪr.əˈɡeɪ.ʃən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “crop circles (from the air)”
- “green circles in the desert”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a compass drawing a circle: the center point is fixed (the pivot), and the arm (with sprinklers) rotates around it to irrigate the field.
Conceptual Metaphor
AGRICULTURE IS INDUSTRY (precision, machinery, large-scale, geometric patterns replacing natural landscapes).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary visual indicator of center-pivot irrigation from the air?