marl
1 Americannoun
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Geology. a friable earthy deposit consisting of clay and calcium carbonate, used especially as a fertilizer for soils deficient in lime.
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Archaic. earth.
verb (used with object)
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of marl1
1325–75; Middle English marle < Middle Dutch < Old French < Medieval Latin margila, diminutive of Latin marga, said to be < Gaulish
Origin of marl2
1400–50; late Middle English marlyn to ensnare; akin to Old English mārels cable. See moor 2
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.
South Jersey achieved paleontological renown with the 1858 discovery of a nearly complete skeleton of the duck-billed dinosaur Hadrosaurus foulkii in a Haddonfield marl pit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 2, 2025
Mineral-driven and intense, it reflects the flint, limestone and marl soils of Pouilly-Fumé in the Loire Valley.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 14, 2022
The marl cliffs, which attract thousands of tourists every year, were defaced sometime overnight on Friday.
From BBC ● Jan. 9, 2022
The coat is available in only one color – grey marl.
From Fox News ● Nov. 26, 2021
The origin of this bitumen is disputed: it was supposed to be derived from subaqueous strata of bituminous marl and rose to the surface when loosened by earthquakes.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 10 "David, St" to "Demidov" by Various
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