sharecropping
Intermediate (B1)
IPA: /ˈʃɛrˌkrɒpɪŋ/
KK: /ˈʃɛrˌkrɒpɪŋ/
noun
Definition
The practice where a farmer works on someone else's land and gives a part of the crops to the landowner as payment.
Example
Many families relied on sharecropping to make a living after the Civil War.
Conversation
Have you ever heard about sharecropping in the South?
Yeah, it was a way for farmers to work on land they didn’t own.
Right, they would give a portion of their crops in exchange for using the land.
It's interesting how that system shaped the economy back then.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
farming
tenancy
cultivation
Antonyms
ownership
abandonment
neglect
verb
Definition
To farm land owned by someone else and pay them a share of the crops produced as rent.
Example
Many families relied on sharecropping to make a living after the Civil War.
Tense Forms
Past: sharecropped
Past Participle: sharecropped
Conversation
Have you ever thought about sharecropping for a summer job?
I haven't, but it sounds interesting!
Yeah, you get to work on a farm and learn a lot about agriculture while earning some money.
Root Explanation
Sharecropping → It is formed from "share" (from Old English *scearu*, meaning a division or part) and "cropping" (from "crop" which comes from Old English *croppian*, meaning to cut or harvest). The term refers to a system where land is divided and the crops are harvested by those who do not own the land, sharing the produce with the landowner.
Memory Tip
Think of 'dividing' ('share') the land and 'harvesting' ('cropping') the crops together — that's what sharecropping means.
Visually Confused Words
No commonly confused words.