Definition

The condition of land that is not being used for growing crops, often to allow it to recover its fertility.

Example

The farmer decided to leave a portion of his field in a state of fallowness to improve the soil quality.

Conversation

Have you ever thought about the fallowness of our backyard garden?

I have! It really needs some attention to bring it back to life.

Yeah, it feels like we're wasting space with all that fallowness.

Exactly! We should plan a weekend to plant something new.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Fallowness is derived from "fallow" (from Old English *fealu*, meaning yellow or pale) and the suffix "-ness" (meaning the state or quality of). The term refers to the state of land that is left unplanted or uncultivated, often to restore its fertility.

Memory Tip

Think of 'fallow' as describing land that is 'unplanted' or 'uncultivated', and '-ness' indicating a state. This helps you remember that 'fallowness' refers to the quality of being unplanted.

Visually Confused Words