Fallow
/ˈfæloʊ/noun
Left unplanted or uncultivated for a period, especially to restore fertility.
Did you know?The word comes from an Old English term for land left unplanted, and its deeper Indo-European roots are tied to the idea of something being pale, dusty, or lacking color — like earth after it’s been stripped bare.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhel-
“to shine, flash, or be pale”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*falhaz
“pale, yellowish”
Old English
English
fealu
“tawny, yellowish-brown”
Middle English
English
falowe
“land left uncultivated”
Modern English
English
fallow
“land left unplanted or uncultivated for a time”