agricultural chemistry
- noun
- /ˌæɡrɪˈkʌltʃərəl ˈkɛmɪstri/
- Specialized
:
química agrícola
- Innovations in agricultural chemistry can lead to better pest control and increased crop yields.
Examples
-
When Tom and Mont climbed the outside wooden stairs that led to a balcony outside the meeting hall, only thirty or so had come out on the foggy night to listen to the professor of agricultural chemistry.
Fiction book (1992) -
The principles of agricultural chemistry are essential for developing sustainable farming methods.
-
Many universities offer courses that focus on agricultural chemistry to prepare students for careers in farming and environmental management.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is fully compositional: 'agricultural' (relating to farming) modifies 'chemistry' (the study of substances), so the meaning 'chemistry applied to agriculture' is directly predictable from the constituents. This modifier+noun pattern is common in English and other languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand the MWE's basic meaning.
Etymology
The noun agricultural chemistry comes from combining agricultural ('farming') and chemistry ('the study of chemicals'). Picture people testing soil and simple chemicals to help crops grow, so the term means 'the study and use of chemicals in farming'.
