Hydroponic
/ˌhaɪ.drəˈpɒn.ɪk/noun
Relating to the cultivation of plants in water or nutrient solutions without soil.
Did you know?Hydroponic is a modern scientific coinage from Greek roots, and its ending echoes the ancient idea of “working” or “toiling,” so the word literally frames soil-free farming as a kind of engineered labor.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
hydor
“water”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ponos
“toil, labor, work”
19th Century
English
hydroponics
“a term coined for plant cultivation in water-based solutions”
20th Century
English
hydroponic
“relating to hydroponics or soil-free water-based cultivation”