Word
agribusiness
Phoneticsagribusi·ness
US/ˈæɡɹəˌbɪznəs/
UK/ˈæɡɹɪbˌɪznəs/
Uncountable noun Agriculture
Definition
n. the business of farming and the companies that support it, like those that sell seeds, fertilizers, and equipment. It usually refers to large-scale farming done by big corporations.
n. the business of agricultural production and the industries that support it, including the sale of seeds, fertilizers, and farm machinery. Often used to describe the industrialization of agriculture and the concentration of market power in large corporations.
Examples
“The local economy depends heavily on agribusiness.”
“Many small farmers struggle to compete with the scale and efficiency of global agribusiness giants.”
“The rise of agribusiness has transformed traditional farming into a highly capital-intensive industry, where the control of genetic patents and chemical inputs determines the success of the harvest.”
Examples
simple
“The local economy depends heavily on agribusiness.”
contextual
“Many small farmers struggle to compete with the scale and efficiency of global agribusiness giants.”
complex
“The rise of agribusiness has transformed traditional farming into a highly capital-intensive industry, where the control of genetic patents and chemical inputs determines the success of the harvest.”
Real-World Examples
“Farmers and policy-makers continue to invest in production systems that don’t fit the land because they are now tightly bound up in patterns of modern agribusiness and food production.” “As he detailed his 1977 text “ The Unsettling of America ,” Berry was a fierce critic of agribusiness and American’s throwaway, consumeristic culture .” Etymology
From agri- + business, or a blend of agriculture + business, coined by American academic and diplomat John Herbert Davis (1904–1988).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/agribusiness