Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
sharecropping
noun
/ˈʃɛrˌkrɒp.ɪŋ/
Definition
A system of agriculture where a landowner allows a tenant to use the land in exchange for a share of the crops produced.
Examples
- After the Civil War, many former slaves became sharecroppers to survive.
- The sharecropping system often kept families in a cycle of poverty.
Meaning
Sharecropping involves an agreement between a landowner and a farmer, often a tenant who lacks capital, to cultivate the land and split the harvest, usually with the landowner receiving a significant portion of the crop.
Synonyms
- crop-sharing
- tenant farming
- profit-sharing
