regolith

American  

[reg-uh-lith] / ˈrɛg ə lɪθ /

noun

1. mantle rock.

---

regolith British  

/ ˈrɛɡəlɪθ /

noun

1. the layer of loose material covering the bedrock of the earth and moon, etc, comprising soil, sand, rock fragments, volcanic ash, glacial drift, etc

---

regolith Scientific  

/ rĕg′ə-lĭth′ /

1. The layer of rock and mineral fragments that rests on bedrock and is produced by the weathering of rocks. Regolith constitutes the surface of most land.

---

Etymology

Origin of regolith

1895–1900; < Greek rhêgo ( s ) rug, blanket + -lith

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

regolith

So far, Perseverance has gathered 29 samples of rock and regolith, the loose material that covers the Martian surface.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 21, 2026

In particular, future studies will need to test how well these fungi perform with actual lunar and Martian regolith rather than simulations or other substitute materials.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026

Those halos can indicate sprays of regolith thrown outward by a fresh impact.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026

That changed when China's Chang'e 6 mission brought back 1.935 grams of regolith from the South Pole Aitken basin on the lunar far side.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026

The Chang'e 6 regolith had an average 20Ne/22Ne ratio of 11.34 ± 0.22.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---