US /ˈɪr.ə.ɡeɪt/ UK /ˈɪr.ɪ.ɡeɪt/
verb Freq #35819

Meanings

  1. 1
    verb

    to supply land or crops with water through channels, pipes, or sprinklers

    Farmers use canals to irrigate the fields during the dry season.

  2. 2
    verb

    medical: to wash a wound or body cavity with a controlled flow of liquid

    The nurse used sterile saline to irrigate the wound.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 verb · to supply land or crops... water
2 verb · medical: to wash a wound or... flushrinse
Opposites
draindehydrate
Word family
Forms irrigatedirrigating
Derived forms irrigationirrigatorirrigable
Related forms canaldrip irrigationwater

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin irrigare 'to water', formed from in- 'upon or into' + rigare 'to wet or water'.

Topics

markdown

Send feedback

Optional — only if you'd like a reply.