sierozem

American  

[sahy-er-uh-zem, see-er-uh-zhawm] / saɪˈɛr əˌzɛm, siˌɛr əˈʒɔm /

noun

1. any of a group of calcareous, brownish gray soils based in a carbonate or hardpan layer, found in arid climates.

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Etymology

Origin of sierozem

First recorded in 1930–35; from Russian serozëm “gray earth,” from séryĭ “gray” + -o- linking vowel + zëm, variant, in compounds, of zemlyá “earth, land”; see humus ( def. )