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ir·ri·gate

(ĭrĭ-gāt′)

v. ir·ri·gat·ed, ir·ri·gat·ing, ir·ri·gates

v.tr.

1. To supply (land or crops) with water by means of pipes, sprinklers, ditches, or streams.

2. To wash out (a body cavity or wound) with water or a medicated fluid.

v.intr.

To irrigate land or crops.

[Latin irrigāre, irrigāt- : in-, in; see IN-² + rigāre, to water.]

ir′ri·gation n.

ir′ri·gation·al adj.

irri·ga′tor n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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