peat
1 Americannoun
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a highly organic material found in marshy or damp regions, composed of partially decayed vegetable matter: it is cut and dried for use as fuel.
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such vegetable matter used as fertilizer or fuel.
noun
noun
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a compact brownish deposit of partially decomposed vegetable matter saturated with water: found in uplands and bogs in temperate and cold regions and used as a fuel (when dried) and as a fertilizer
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( as modifier )
peat bog
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a piece of dried peat for use as fuel
noun
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archaic a person, esp a woman
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obsolete a term of endearment for a girl or woman
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Partially decayed vegetable matter, especially peat moss, found in bogs. The low levels of oxygen and the acidic environment in bogs prevent the degradation of peat. Peat is burned as fuel and also used as fertilizer.
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See more at bog
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of peat1
1300–50; Middle English pete (compare Anglo-Latin peta ) < ?
Origin of peat2
First recorded in 1560–70; origin uncertain
Explanation
Peat is a rich, dark, dirt-like material that's made from decomposed organic matter. You can use peat in gardens and potted plants, to help the soil stay moist. Peat is like a naturally occurring compost — it forms in bogs from plants that have broken down. In many parts of the world, peat is burned as a fuel, and in others it's a popular mulch in gardens and on farms. If it's left to continue decomposing for many years, peat eventually turns into lignite, a low-grade coal that can also be burned for heat or as an energy source.
Vocabulary lists containing peat
Western Europe - Introductory
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Western Europe - Middle School and High School
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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.
It's a problem for degraded peatland which makes up about 80% of Scotland's total, but for those in a near-natural state the peat can act as a defence.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
Tackling the High Fens fire was made much harder by the fens' terrain -- a patchwork of heath, peat bogs and raised wooden boardwalks.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
On-site operations have been complicated by the fens' terrain -- a patchwork of heath, peat bogs and raised wooden boardwalks.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service said the fire, about midday on Tuesday, involved peat burning below ground.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
She leaned against her cane with one hand, but the other hand, stained with peat, was up against the cottage doorway, trembling the slightest bit.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
