agri-, agrio-, ager

A branch of veterinary medicine specializing in wild animals: In her studies, Ivy took a class dealing in agrizoiatry in order for her to treat animals that lived in the forest in her area.

The study of wild animals: Since Judy loved animals that lived in forests, she got a book on agrizoology to learn more about their influence on soil conditions and how they are affected by soil situations.

An exceptional or excessive fright of all wild animals: As a result of her agrizoophobia, Nancy never wanted to go to the zoo with her parents, or even with the others in her class at school because she was so apprehensive that one of the animals might attack and kill her.

The science of making use of animal and plant products for food, fuel, fiber, etc.: Jack was interested in agronomy as a career that dealt with the production of plants and animals useful to humans, and also involved soil cultivation, the breeding of livestock, and the management of crops.

Desert agriculture or agriculture in very dry areas: Arid-agriculture includes research in how to increase the agricultural productivity of lands dominated by a lack of freshwater, an excessive abundance of heat and sunlight, and usually one or more of extreme winter cold periods, short rainy season, saline soil or water, strong dry winds, and poor soil structure.

The use of geothermic heat in farming: Geothermal agriculture is the use of low-temperature geothermal water to warm irrigation water or to sterilize soil.

Translation: "Of all the occupations in which gain is secured, none is better than agriculture, none more profitable, none more delightful, none more becoming to a freeman."

This motto, written by Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 B.C.), is also reproduced in a shorter version in the entrance foyer of the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture: Nihil melius nihil homine libero dignius, quam agricultura.

To travel from place to place, or on a pilgrimage: Jack peregrinated on foot from one country to another and then through two foreign countries as well.

1. To travel around in a location or from place to place, especially by walking: Whenever Adam and his family went on trips, they peregrinated as much as possible in order to get a better view of where they were.
2. Etymology: from Latin peregrinus, "foreign"; from pereger, "traveling"; from per-, "through" + ager, "a field, land". © ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

1. A journey from one place to another, especially on foot: There are some people who love peregrinations and see the countryside close up rather than traveling by vehicles.
2. Etymology: from Latin peregrinatio, from peregrinari, "to stay" or "to travel", from per-, "through" + ager, "field, territory, land, country". © ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

1. Someone who travels around for a long time or over a great distance: A peregrinator journeys or goes from place to place, as a wanderer or as a vagabond for months and months!
2. A traveler into foreign countries: In the summer, more people become peregrinators than during other times of the year.
3. Etymology: from Latin peregrinus, "foreign parts, foreigner; traveling". © ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), sometimes formerly known in North America as "Duck Hawk", is a medium-sized falcon about the size of a large crow: Peregrine falcons are extremely swift and hunt small birds.

The English and scientific species names mean "wandering falcon", and refer to the fact that some populations are migratory.

1. Referring to a form of life that travels; migratory: Sandhill cranes and hummingbirds are two kinds of peregrine birds.
2. In biology, foreign, non-native: Peregrine organisms are transported into an area from outside that region.
3. Etymology: Latin, to travel about; foreign; abroad; that which is found "outside the Roman territory" (the ager Romanus), "field".

Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin peregrinus, "wandering, pilgrim", from Latin, "foreigner", from pereger, "being abroad"; from per-, "through" + ager, "land, fields".

1. Obsolete, foreignness; strangeness: The peregrinity of his manners gave Susan the impression that he came from a foreign country.
2. Obsolete, travel; wandering: Mark's peregrinity took him a whole year before he returned home again.

1. A person who journeys, especially a long distance to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion: Many was a pilgrim who went to the Holy Land.
2. A traveler or wanderer, especially to a foreign place: Alice told her mother tat she wanted to be a pilgrim and go on a journey to Greece.
3. One of the group of Puritans who founded the colony of Plymouth, Massachusetts: In class, Ivy learned about the Pilgrims of the English Separatists who landed on the east coast of America in 1620.
4. Etymology: from Old French peligrin, pelerin, from Latin peregrinus, "foreigner, from foreign parts"; from per- "beyond" + agre, Old Latin ablative case of ager, "field" and peregri, "abroad, from abroad"; locative case of ager, "field, country, foreigner, stranger".