C horizon

noun

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

C horizon

noun

1. 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

C horizon

1. 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of C horizon¹

First recorded in 1930–35