edaphic

[ ih-daf-ik ]

/ ɪˈdæf ɪk /

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adjective

related to or caused by particular soil conditions, as of texture or drainage, rather than by physiographic or climatic factors.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

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Origin of edaphic

<German edaphisch (1898); see edaphon, -ic

OTHER WORDS FROM edaphic

e·daph·i·cal·ly, adverb

Words nearby edaphic

Eda, edacious, edacity, Edam, edamame, edaphic, edaphic climax, edaphon, EDB, Edberg, EDC

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use edaphic in a sentence

In every instance the groves are limited to a rocky clay soil, and edaphic factors obviously are of major importance.
The Forest Habitat of the University of Kansas Natural History Reservation|Henry S. Fitch

British Dictionary definitions for edaphic

edaphic

/ (ɪˈdæfɪk) /

adjective

of or relating to the physical and chemical conditions of the soil, esp in relation to the plant and animal life it supportsCompare biotic (def. 2)

Derived forms of edaphic

edaphically, adverb

Word Origin for edaphic

C20: from Greek edaphos bottom, soil

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 edaphic

edaphic

[ ĭ-dăf′ĭk ]

Relating to soil, especially as it affects living organisms. Edaphic characteristics include such factors as water content, acidity, aeration, and the availability of nutrients.

Influenced by factors inherent in the soil rather than by climatic factors.