cash crop

noun

: a readily salable crop (such as cotton or tobacco) produced or gathered primarily for market

Examples of cash crop in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The community grew cash crops such as cotton and corn and raised livestock. — Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Dec. 2025 The shifting definitions are just the latest twists for hemp, a former cash crop that was later banned. — Bill Chappell, NPR, 2 Feb. 2026 It’s applied to many key cash crops, such as corn and soybeans, and has been defended by agricultural trade organizations. — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 19 Feb. 2026 Farmers are forced into buying this seed for their crops to meet international harvest standards of cash crops like cotton, coffee, and tobacco for the export market. — Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cash crop

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cash crop was in 1868

Rhymes for cash crop

See All Rhymes for cash crop

Browse Nearby Words

cash credit
cash crop
cash customer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cash crop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cash%20crop. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cash crop

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cash crop

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