What does "husbandry" mean?
The occupation or work of a husbandman or farmer; the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock; agriculture.
Husbandry
/ˈhʌzb(ə)ndɹi/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The occupation or work of a husbandman or farmer; the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock; agriculture.
- Grammar: husbandry is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: agriculture, farming, agrarianism, agricultural activity.
- Useful contrasts: carelessness, disorganization, extravagance.
- Usage evidence: Neither a borrower nor a lender be; / For loan oft loses both itself and friend, / And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
How to use "husbandry"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "husbandry" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "husbandry" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "husbandry" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "husbandry" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "husbandry" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "agriculture" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "husbandry", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The occupation or work of a husbandman or farmer; the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock; agriculture. countable, uncountable
"If the Church be God's Huſbandry, then, thoſe that be imployed in Miniſterial work, ought to be men of great judgment and experience in ſoul affairs; for theſe are the labourers whom God, the myſtical Huſbandman imploys and entruſts about his ſpiritual Huſbandry."
- 2 the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock wordnet
- 3 The prudent management or conservation of resources. countable, uncountable
"There's Husbandry in Heauen, / Their Candles are all out: […]"
- 4 Administration or management of day-to-day matters. countable, uncountable
"The underwater ship husbandry discharge is composed of materials discharged during the inspection, maintenance, cleaning, and repair of hulls and hull appendages performed while the vessel is waterborne. Underwater ship husbandry includes activities such as hull cleaning, fiberglass repair, welding, sonar dome repair, propulsor lay-up, non-destructive testing, masker belt repairs, and painting operations."
- 5 Agricultural or cultivated land. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"[H]ow carefull God had beene in providing Tithes and Oblations for the Prieſt under the Law, giving him not Lands and Huſbandries amongſt the other Tribes, ut in nulla re avocaretur, that hee might have no occaſion to be withdrawne from the Altar; […]"
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Techniques of animal care. countable, uncountable
"Dr. Durfy was asked in his written cross-examination why it was his opinion that poor husbandry led to the conditions seen in all of the tortoises if he did not observe their habitat. Dr. Durfy replied "…The abnormalities and illnesses seen in the tortoises, especially when you consider that all of them are affected, are due to improper care, inappropriate diet, lighting humidity, temperature, hygiene, to name a few, are what causes issues in these species – poor husbandry.""
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Neither a borrower nor a lender be; / For loan oft loses both itself and friend, / And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "husbandry"?
Common synonyms include: agriculture, farming, agrarianism, agricultural activity, agricultural geology, agriculture.
How do you use "husbandry" in a sentence?
Neither a borrower nor a lender be; / For loan oft loses both itself and friend, / And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
How do you pronounce "husbandry"?
Pronounced /ˈhʌzb(ə)ndɹi/.
Etymology
From Middle English hus-bō̆ndrī, hus-bō̆ndrīe, husbanderi, husbonderie, housbondrye, housebondrie (“household management, housekeeping; household duties; economy, skilful management, thrift; farm management, agriculture, farming; cultivation; household articles; husbands collectively”), from hǒus-bō̆nd, hǒus-bō̆nde (“male spouse, husband; master of a house; male head of a household; man having charge of something, household manager; (figuratively) host, inhabitant, resident; bondsman, villein; farmer, husbandman”) (see further at husband) + -rīe (suffix forming nouns collectively denoting members or practitioners of a craft or profession). The English word can be analysed as husband + -ry.