farming
UK[ˈfɑːmɪŋ]US[ˈfɑːrmɪŋ]
n
the business or activity of managing and working on a farm
n
the practice or system of raising a particular type of animal or plant for commercial purposes
Morpheme Breakdown
farm
ing
farm
noun/verb base
ing
noun-forming suffix
Etymology
the word 'farming' has its roots in the old english 'feorm', which referred to provisions or supplies. this term evolved through the medieval latin 'firma', meaning a fixed payment or contract, to denote a leased piece of land for which rent was paid. by the 16th century, 'farm' in english came to signify the land itself and the business of agriculture conducted upon it. the addition of the agentive suffix '-ing' transforms the verb 'to farm' into the noun 'farming', concretely naming the practice, system, or occupation of agricultural production.
Analysis
Structure: farm (noun/verb base) + ing (noun-forming suffix)
farm (from old english 'feorm', meaning 'food, provisions, a rent or tax paid in provisions', later from medieval latin 'firma', meaning 'fixed payment'); ing (from old english '-ung', '-ing', a suffix forming nouns from verbs, denoting an action or its result).
Examples
he went back to his hometown and took up organic farming.
chicken farming has become highly industrialized in many countries.
advances in technology have revolutionized modern farming techniques.