Farmer: Definition, Examples, and Common Collocations

Meaning 1：person who farms (farmer)

farmer 🔊

/ˈfɑːrmər/

A person who owns or runs a farm, growing crops or raising animals.

Farmer standing in a field of green crops with tractor in background

person who farms 🔊

➕

/ˈpɜːrsən huː fɑːrmz/

A person who owns or manages a farm, typically cultivating crops or raising livestock.

📁 Category：Social Roles 🔖 Level：Elementary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

farm (to cultivate land) + -er (agent suffix)

💡 Mnemonic

A farmer works on a farm. Remember: 'farm' + 'er' = person who farms.

📖 Example

Every morning at sunrise, the farmer goes out to check on his crops. 🔊 Every morning at sunrise, the farmer goes out to check on his crops.

🔗 Collocations

farmer's market – A market where farmers sell their produce directly to consumers.

subsistence farmer – A farmer who grows food only for their own family, not for sale.

dairy farmer – A farmer who raises cows for milk production.

🔄 Synonyms

rancher (n.) – A person who owns or manages a ranch, especially for raising cattle or sheep.

agriculturalist (n.) – A person who studies or practices agriculture.

grower (n.) – A person who grows plants or crops for a living.

🌱 Derivatives

farming (n.) – The activity of growing crops and raising animals for food and other products.

farmstead (n.) – The land and buildings of a farm.

farmhand (n.) – A worker on a farm.

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Old French 'ferme' (rented land), from Latin 'firma' (fixed payment). The term 'farmer' originally meant a tax collector, later shifted to one who cultivates land.