English Reference
adjective

agricultural

adj.
US /ˌæɡɹəˈkəɫtʃɝəɫ/ UK /ˌæɡɹɪkˈʌltʃəɹəl/ agri·cul·tur·al

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    related to farming or the work of growing crops and raising animals.

    relating to the science, art, or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock.

    Simple

    The government is introducing new agricultural policies to help small farmers.

    In context

    The region's economy remains heavily dependent on agricultural exports, particularly wheat and barley produced in the fertile northern plains.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced British EnglishHumorousInformal Sport

    used to describe a style of playing sports that is rough, clumsy, or lacks skill.

    describing a technique or action that is unrefined, forceful, or lacking in finesse; often used in cricket or football to describe a wild swing or tackle.

    Simple

    He scored a goal with a very agricultural kick that somehow found the net.

    In context

    The batsman was dismissed after attempting an agricultural swipe across the line, a shot completely lacking his usual technical grace.

    Usage

    Usually placed before the noun it describes.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a common British idiom in sports commentary; it compares a rough movement to the swinging of a scythe or heavy farm machinery.

    clumsyunrefinedrough

Usage agricultural development · agricultural industry · agricultural land

Many of the dead were farm workers, caught in open agricultural fields where there is a lack of shelter to provide safety when such storms arrive.

The Guardian· 14 Aug 2026

Repeatedly, settlers graze cattle, sheep and camels on private agricultural land.

Al Jazeera· 14 Aug 2026

From agriculture + -al.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Common
Updated