Semiarid: meaning, definitions and examples
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semiarid
[ ˌsɛm.iˈɛr.ɪd ]
climate type
Semiarid refers to a climate characterized by light rainfall, where the amount of precipitation is less than that of a humid climate but more than that of a desert. This type of climate can support some vegetation and agriculture but is generally dry.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The region has a semiarid climate with sparse vegetation.
- Agriculture in semiarid zones requires careful water management.
- Semiarid areas often experience drought conditions.
Translations
Translations of the word "semiarid" in other languages:
🇵🇹 semiárido
🇮🇳 अर्ध-शुष्क
🇩🇪 semi-arid
🇮🇩 semi kering
🇺🇦 півпосушливий
🇵🇱 półpustynny
🇯🇵 半乾燥
🇫🇷 semi-aride
🇪🇸 semiárido
🇹🇷 yarı kurak
🇰🇷 반건조
🇸🇦 شبه جاف
🇨🇿 polo suchý
🇸🇰 polo suchý
🇨🇳 半干旱
🇸🇮 polosušen
🇮🇸 hálfþurr
🇰🇿 жарты құрғақ
🇬🇪 ნახევარწვიანი
🇦🇿 yarı quraq
🇲🇽 semiárido
Etymology
The term 'semiarid' is derived from the prefix 'semi-', meaning 'partially' or 'half', combined with 'arid', which comes from the Latin word 'aridus', meaning 'dry'. The concept of semiarid regions emerged from studies of climate classification in the early 20th century. Scientists sought to categorize different climate zones to better understand the geographical distributions of flora and fauna, agricultural practices, and human settlements. As research progressed, the term became widely used to describe areas that receive insufficient rainfall to be classified as humid but still have more moisture than true deserts. This classification has important implications for environmental management, agriculture, and understanding climate change impacts.