plantation

5 synonyms for plantation, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A large farm or estate, especially in a hot climate, growing a single cash crop and historically worked by enslaved or indentured labourers.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

estate

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

grove orchard

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

tree farm woodlet

How to use plantation

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

cotton plantation tea plantation plantation owner

In a historical context, "plantation" is closely tied to the history of slavery in the Americas, and the word is often used with that weight.

Etymology

From Latin plantatio, "a planting," from plantare, "to plant." Its use for a colonial estate comes from the older sense of "establishing a settlement" on new land.

Full origin of plantation →

Frequently asked questions

What does “plantation” mean?

The word “plantation” means a large farm or estate, especially in a hot climate, growing a single cash crop and historically worked by enslaved or indentured labourers. In plain terms, a large agricultural estate growing one crop, or a planted stand of trees.

How do you pronounce “plantation”?

“Plantation” is pronounced plan-TAY-shuhn (/plænˈteɪʃən/ in IPA).

How do you use “plantation” in a sentence?

Here is “plantation” used in a sentence: “The novel is set on a sugar plantation in the nineteenth century.”

What part of speech is “plantation”?

“Plantation” is a noun.

Where does the word “plantation” come from?

The word “plantation” comes from Latin. From Latin plantatio, "a planting," from plantare, "to plant." Its use for a colonial estate comes from the older sense of "establishing a settlement" on new land.

Is “plantation” a common word?

“Plantation” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “plantation” have?

“Plantation” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large farm or estate, especially in a hot climate, growing a single cash crop and historically worked by enslaved or indentured labourers.

What is the difference between a plantation and a farm?

A plantation is typically a large estate in a hot climate that grows a single cash crop, historically often worked by enslaved or indentured laborers. A farm is a broader, more general term for land used for growing crops or raising animals, of any size or climate, without that specific historical association.

What crops were historically grown on plantations?

Historical plantations commonly grew single cash crops such as cotton, sugar, tobacco, or coffee, depending on the region and climate. This large-scale, single-crop model relied heavily on enslaved or indentured labor.

Does plantation always refer to agriculture involving forced labor?

No, plantation also has a separate, unrelated modern sense referring to an area deliberately planted with trees for timber or landscaping purposes. This sense carries no connection to the historical labor practices associated with cash-crop plantations.

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Nearby words

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