# plantation

/ˌpɫænˈteɪʃən/ (US) · /plɑːntˈeɪʃən/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/plantation
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a very large farm or estate where crops like coffee, sugar, or cotton are grown. These places usually focus on one type of plant and often have a history of using many workers.

For teachers: a large-scale estate or agricultural operation dedicated to the cultivation of cash crops. Historically associated with colonial economies and forced labor systems, it typically focuses on a single monoculture.

## Examples

- The family visited an old coffee plantation in Brazil.
- During the colonial era, the sugar plantation was the primary economic unit in many Caribbean islands.
- Historians examine the plantation as a complex socio-economic system that relied on the exploitation of labor to produce commodities for global markets.

## Usage notes

- Often used with 'of' to specify the crop, such as a 'plantation of rubber trees'.

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