irrigation

/irɪˈgeɪʃɪn/

/ɪrɪˈgeɪʃɪn/

Other forms: irrigations

Irrigation is the watering of land to make it ready for agriculture. If you want to start a strawberry farm in the desert, irrigation will be necessary.

Irrigation comes from the Latin for "moist" or "wet," but it means the purposeful wetting of something. We wouldn’t really say that a storm provides irrigation (unless we were poetically trying to personify the storm). Irrigation systems are often complex combinations of canals, channels, and hoses. The word irrigation is also used in medicine to describe the process of washing out a wound before dressing it.

Definitions of irrigation

1. noun

   the act of supplying dry land with water by means of ditches, etc.
   type of:

   provision, supply, supplying

   the activity of supplying or providing something
2. noun

   (medicine) cleaning a wound or body organ by flushing or washing out with water or a medicated solution
   types:

   eye-drop, eyedrop

   a method of irrigating the eye used by ophthalmologists

   douche

   irrigation with a jet of water or medicated solution into or around a body part (especially the vagina) to treat infections or cleanse from odorous contents

   clyster, enema

   an injection of a liquid through the anus to stimulate evacuation; sometimes used for diagnostic purposes

   lavage

   washing out a hollow organ (especially the stomach) by flushing with water

   adrenergic agonist eyedrop

   a treatment for glaucoma; the eyedrops reduce intraocular pressure by decreasing the production of aqueous humor and increasing its drainage through the uveoscleral pathway

   beta blocker eyedrop

   a treatment for glaucoma; the eyedrops reduce intraocular pressure by reducing the production of aqueous humor

   miotic eyedrop

   a treatment for glaucoma; the eyedrops increase the outflow of aqueous humor by constricting the pupil

   topical prostaglandin eyedrop

   a treatment for glaucoma; the eyedrops increase the outflow of aqueous humor through the uveoscleral pathway

   colonic, colonic irrigation

   a water enema given to flush out the colon

   barium enema

   enema in which a contrast medium (usually barium sulfate) is injected into the rectum and X-rays are taken to search for lesions

   gastric lavage

   washing out the stomach with sterile water or a saltwater solution; removes blood or poisons

   type of:

   medical aid, medical care

   professional treatment for illness or injury