arable

American  

[ar-uh-buhl] / ˈær ə bəl /

adjective

1. capable of producing crops; suitable for farming; suited to the plow and for tillage.

   arable land; arable soil.

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noun

1. land that can be or is cultivated.

arable British  

/ ˈærəbəl /

adjective

1. (of land) being or capable of being tilled for the production of crops

2. of, relating to, or using such land

   arable farming

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noun

1. arable land or farming

Other Word Forms

• arability noun

Etymology

Origin of arable

1375–1425; < Latin arābilis, equivalent to arā ( re ) to plow + -bilis -ble; replacing late Middle English erable, equivalent to er ( en ) to plow ( Old English erian ) + -able -able

Example Sentences

Williamson's farm, on which he grows a variety of crops including wheat, barley, and oats, has been "fortunate," as like many arable farms, they bought most of the fertiliser needed for this season last year.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

Irma was one of Chávez’s direct beneficiaries; she received a parcel of arable land which she cultivated with her brother.

From Slate • Jan. 15, 2026

Harold's Park Wildland is a 509-acre nature reserve in Waltham Abbey, in Essex, but it has proved unsuccessful as arable farmland and as a Christmas tree plantation.

From BBC • Dec. 14, 2025

The DRC has nearly 80 million hectares of arable land and four million hectares of irrigable land.

From Barron's • Nov. 26, 2025

And again, since no animal now stole, it was unnecessary to fence off pasture from arable land, which saved a lot of labour on the upkeep of hedges and gates.

From "Animal Farm: A Fairy Story" by George Orwell