C horizon

noun

the layer in a soil profile below the B horizon and immediately above the bedrock, consisting chiefly of weathered, partially decomposed rock.

Origin of C horizon

First recorded in 1930–35

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British Dictionary definitions for c horizon

C horizon

noun

the layer of a soil profile immediately below the B horizon and above the bedrock, composed of weathered rock little affected by soil-forming processes

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

Scientific definitions for c horizon

C horizon

In ABC soil, the lowermost zone, consisting mainly of unconsolidated, weathered rock fragments. By comparison with the A and B horizons, the C horizon is relatively unaffected by the processes of soil formation and therefore does not exhibit as much internal layering.