pastoralism

[ pas-ter-uh-liz-uhm, pah-ster- ]

noun

1. the practice of herding as the primary economic activity of a society.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pastoralism¹

First recorded in 1850–55; pastoral + -ism

Example Sentences

Future work on the plateau will be vital to understanding how the human adoption of pastoralism and dairying reshaped Tibet's landscapes.

From Salon

These lands also have deep cultural significance based on their role in pastoralism or fire practices.

From Scientific American

It was third straight season of poor rains in eastern and northern Kenya, where pastoralism is a main source of income, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, a U.S. government agency.

From Reuters

Somalia is home to the world’s largest camel population, and pastoralism of camels and other livestock provide livelihoods for 60% of the population, a 2019 U.S. government study found.

From Reuters

Although the home on the farm had been the American ideal since Thomas Jefferson popularized pastoralism, as the country urbanized after the Civil War, many visionaries saw opportunities for a less atomized, more female-friendly lifestyle.

From New York Times