What does "harvesting" mean?

1. (gathering crops) the act of collecting mature crops from the fields. 2. (collecting resources) the act of collecting any useful resource, such as data or energy.

harvesting

US //ˈhɑɹvəstɪŋ// UK //hˈɑːvɪstɪŋ// har·vest·ing

1 gathering crops (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Cooking

the act of collecting mature crops from the fields.

the process of gathering a mature crop from the land. Uncountable in its general sense, though countable when referring to specific instances.

Example

The harvesting of the wheat usually begins in late summer.

Example

Mechanical harvesting has significantly reduced the labour required to bring in the corn crop before the first autumn rains arrive.
- reaping
- gathering
- planting
- sowing
2 collecting resources (n.)
C1 Advanced Technical Computing

the act of collecting any useful resource, such as data or energy.

the systematic collection of resources, often used in technical contexts regarding data, energy, or biological materials.

Example

The company was criticised for its secret harvesting of user data.

Example

Energy harvesting from ambient vibrations provides a sustainable power source for small wireless sensors in industrial environments.
- collection
- extraction