Rototilling

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The procedure of mechanically breaking up soil to make it suitable for cultivation, improving drainage and root penetration A method employed in agriculture that involves the aeration and mixing of soil, enhancing its fertility and readiness for planting The use of machinery to disrupt the soil, which facilitates better growth conditions by allowing seeds to nestle more effectively in the prepared ground
2. The process of breaking and turning over soil using a specialized machine to prepare it for planting crops
3. A technique involving the churning and aerating of earth with equipment to improve its structure for growth

Etymology: Rototilling is a present participle or gerund formed by adding "-ing" to "rototiller," a machine that turns soil with rotating blades. The machine's name is itself a compound of "rotary" and "tiller," where "tiller" in this sense means a cultivator or one who works the land, and "rotary" refers to the spinning motion of the tines. The verb therefore describes the act of running such a machine across a plot. Its sense stays close to the physical action: the blades spin, the earth is broken up and loosened, and the activity is named for the tool rather than the other way round.