husbandry

American  

[huhz-buhn-dree] / ˈhʌz bən dri /

noun

1. the cultivation and production of edible crops or of animals for food; agriculture; farming.

2. the science of raising crops or food animals.

3. careful or thrifty management; frugality, thrift, or conservation.

4. the management of domestic affairs or of resources generally.

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husbandry British  

/ ˈhʌzbəndrɪ /

noun

1. farming, esp when regarded as a science, skill, or art

2. management of affairs and resources

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husbandry Scientific  

/ hŭz′bən-drē /

1. The application of scientific principles to agriculture, especially to animal breeding.

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Etymology

Origin of husbandry

First recorded in 1250–1300, husbandry is from the Middle English word housebondrie. See husband, -ry

Explanation

Husbandry has nothing to do with being a husband, and a lot to do with being a farmer. If you cultivate the land or breed animals, you are practicing husbandry. Long before husbands were hen-pecked guys who cut the grass on weekends and played with the kiddies after school, they were robust men of the Earth — farmers, in other words. That meaning died out, but its current meaning survives as a remnant of it. Today, you most often hear of "crop husbandry", which refers to raising crops; however, if you practice toad husbandry — you must be raising toads.

Example Sentences

As a result, even veterinarians may rely on the husbandry guidelines developed by the community of serious crab keepers.

From Slate • Aug. 19, 2025

Once commercial options become available, they would likely be marketed as husbandry practices that maximize animal "happiness."

From Salon • May 15, 2024

Without that husbandry, deer over-multiplied, upending the ecosystem.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 27, 2023

At the same time, stricter standards in animal husbandry could have an impact on competitiveness because it is not always possible to compensate for any associated increases in costs with higher consumer prices.

From Science Daily • Oct. 24, 2023

He had an international reputation as a knowledgeable and skilled veterinarian who specialized in primate husbandry.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Related Words

• conservation