Harvest

/ˈhɑːrvɪst/

nounBeginner📊CommonGeneral
3 meanings2 idioms/phrases3 questions

Definitions

3 meanings
1

The gathering of a crop; the season for gathering crops.

/ˈhɑːrvɪst/

nounneutralBeginner
General

The process or time of gathering crops.

The apple harvest was particularly bountiful this year.

💡 Simply: It's like the big cleanup time for farmers! They gather all the fruits and veggies they worked so hard to grow. Like when you pick the ripe apples from a tree or collect the tomatoes from the garden.

👶 For kids: When you gather all the fruits and vegetables from the garden.

More Examples

2

The fall harvest brings an abundance of pumpkins and gourds.

3

A successful harvest is crucial for the farmer's income.

How It's Used

Agriculture

"Farmers are preparing for the wheat harvest."

Figurative

"The conference was a harvest of new ideas."

2

To gather a crop or other natural products at the end of a growing season.

/ˈhɑːrvɪst/

verbneutralBeginner
General

To gather (a crop) or to gather something as if a crop.

Farmers harvest the wheat in the summer.

💡 Simply: Imagine you're helping a farmer! Harvesting is when you go out to the fields and carefully pick all the ripe fruits, vegetables, or grains. It's all about gathering the yummy food that grew!

👶 For kids: To pick all the fruits and vegetables from the garden.

More Examples

2

Researchers harvest data from the field studies.

3

The company plans to harvest the energy from solar panels.

How It's Used

Agriculture

"The farmers harvest the corn in the autumn."

Figurative

"The company will harvest data from its users."

Tip:Picture yourself with a basket, actively picking fruits and vegetables during the harvest season. You are harvesting.
3

The amount of a crop that is gathered in a season; the yield.

/ˈhɑːrvɪst/

nounneutralBeginner
General

The amount of a crop gathered in a season.

The region experienced a poor harvest due to the drought.

💡 Simply: How much yummy food did the farmer get? The harvest means the whole amount of things the farmer was able to get.

👶 For kids: How much fruit and vegetables a farmer picked.

More Examples

2

The farmer was pleased with the year's abundant harvest.

3

A good harvest ensures enough food for the winter.

How It's Used

Agriculture

"The harvest was larger than expected."

Tip:Think of the final pile of crops gathered after the hard work of the harvesting season.

Idioms & expressions

reap a harvest

To experience the results (good or bad) of one's actions.

"After years of hard work, she reaped a harvest of success."

harvest moon

The full moon closest to the autumnal equinox.

"The harvest moon provided extra light for the farmers."

From Old English *hærfest* (autumn), later shifting to refer to the crop gathering season. Related to the Proto-Germanic *harbistaz*. The meaning narrowed over time.

Used since the early Old English period; originally referred to the season, but later also the act of gathering crops.

Memory tip

Think of the image of farmers collecting ripe wheat in a field, this is the harvest.

Word Origin

LanguageOld English
Original meaning

"autumn, the season of gathering"

harvest seasoncrop harvestautumn harvestannual harvestabundant harvestharvest dataharvest energy

Common misspellings

harvistharvastharvesharveset

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written