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Glite Dictionary
benchland

benchland

7.3
A strip of flat or gently sloping land on a hillside used for farming
  • noun
  • /ˈbɛnʧˌlænd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : terreno de llanura
  • The farmer cultivated crops on the flat, fertile benchland near the river.

Examples

  • The site chosen for the new village was a place called Like-a-Fishhook Point, a bit of high benchland that jutted into a bend of the Missouri.

    Academic text (1992)

  • During spring, the benchland was covered in colorful wildflowers, attracting many visitors.

  • The hikers enjoyed a picnic on the benchland, which offered a stunning view of the valley below.

Synonyms

field
vsbenchland
742 1.0

An area of open land used for farming or grazing

is a narrow slope side strip rather than a general open area
terrace
vsbenchland
19 4.1

A flat level area on a slope used for farming

is a gently sloping farming strip not always bounded by steep sides
cropland
vsbenchland
4 3.0

Land that is used to grow crops like grains or vegetables

is defined by its position on a hillside rather than only by crop use
bench
vsbenchland
  • Specialized
4 7.2

A flat area on a hillside or slope where people can rest

is a farming strip on the slope not limited to areas with steep sides

How Flat

plain
98 1.0
benchland
  • Specialized
7.3
slope
101 1.4

Surface Forms

benchland singular
benchlands plural

Morphology

benchland = bench + land (semi-transparent) = bench + land

The compound is formed from 'bench' + 'land', but the sense of 'bench' meaning a terrace is domain-specific and may mislead learners who know only the common 'bench' (seat).

Etymology

Benchland comes from the simple words bench and land, where bench originally meant a 'seat' or a flat 'shelf' in the earth, like a step on a hillside. So benchland is land that forms a natural 'bench', a level strip on a hill often used for farming.