B horizon

American

noun

Geology.

the subsoil in a soil profile.

B horizon British

noun

the layer of a soil profile immediately below the A horizon, containing deposits of leached material

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

B horizon Scientific

In ABC soil, the second and middle zone, characterized by an accumulation of soluble or suspended organic material, clay, iron, or aluminum. These materials originate in the A horizon and are transported to the B horizon through the process of eluviation. B horizons often have a blocky structure and are reddish in color due to the presence of oxidized metals.
Also called zone of accumulation zone of illuviation

Etymology

Origin of B horizon

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He had dug the trenches for the footing and got down to the B horizon in the soil where there was no organic material.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 17, 2023

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023