soil

¹

[soil]

verb (used with object)

1. to feed (confined cattle, horses, etc.) freshly cut green fodder for roughage.

soil

²

[soil]

noun

1. the portion of the earth's surface consisting of disintegrated rock and humus.

2. a particular kind of earth.

   sandy soil.

3. the ground as producing vegetation or as cultivated for its crops.

   fertile soil.

4. a country, land, or region.

   an act committed on American soil.

5. the ground or earth.

   tilling the soil.

6. any place or condition providing the opportunity for growth or development.

   Some believe that poverty provides the soil for crime.

soil

³

[soil]

verb (used with object)

1. to make unclean, dirty, or filthy, especially on the surface.

   to soil one's clothes.

2. to smirch, smudge, or stain.

   The ink soiled his hands.

3. to sully or tarnish, as with disgrace; defile morally.

   to soil one's good name.

   Synonyms: debase, taint, blacken

verb (used without object)

1. to become soiled.

   White soils easily.

noun

1. the act or fact of soiling.

2. the state of being soiled.

3. a spot, mark, or stain.

4. dirty or foul matter; filth; sewage.

5. ordure; manure

soil

¹

/ sɔɪl /

noun

1. the top layer of the land surface of the earth that is composed of disintegrated rock particles, humus, water, and air See zonal soil azonal soil intrazonal soil horizon horizon

2. a type of this material having specific characteristics

   loamy soil

3. land, country, or region

   one's native soil

4. life and work on a farm; land

   he belonged to the soil, as his forefathers had

5. any place or thing encouraging growth or development

soil

²

/ sɔɪl /

verb

1. (tr) to feed (livestock) freshly cut green fodder either to fatten or purge them

soil

³

/ sɔɪl /

verb

1. to make or become dirty or stained

2. (tr) to pollute with sin or disgrace; sully; defile

   he soiled the family honour by his cowardice

noun

1. the state or result of soiling

2. refuse, manure, or excrement

soil

1. The loose top layer of the Earth's surface, consisting of rock and mineral particles mixed with decayed organic matter (humus), and capable of retaining water, providing nutrients for plants, and supporting a wide range of biotic communities. Soil is formed by a combination of depositional, chemical, and biological processes and plays an important role in the carbon, nitrogen, and hydrologic cycles. Soil types vary widely from one region to another, depending on the type of bedrock they overlie and the climate in which they form. In wet and humid regions, for example, soils tend to be thicker than they do in dry regions.

2. See more at A horizon B horizon C horizon See illustration at ABC soil

soil

1. Material on the surface of the Earth on which plants can grow. (See topsoil.)

Soil is produced by the weathering of rocks.

Other Word Forms

• soilless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of soil¹

First recorded in 1600–10; origin uncertain

Origin of soil²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English soil, soil(l)e “land, native land, piece of ground, earth, soil,” from Anglo-French soil, soyl, variants of Old French sueil, souil, from Latin solium “high-backed chair, throne, seat,” confused with solum “base, foundation, ground”; sole ² ( def. )

Origin of soil³

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English verb soilen, soil(l)e “to dirty,” from Old French soillier, soullier, suillier, from Vulgar Latin suculāre, (unrecorded) “to wallow like a pig,” derivative verb of suculus or sucula, diminutives of sus “pig, sow”; sow ², -cle ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of soil¹

C14: from Anglo-Norman, from Latin solium a seat, but confused with Latin solum the ground

Origin of soil²

C17: perhaps from obsolete vb (C16) soil to manure, from _soil ² (n)

Origin of soil³

C13: from Old French soillier to defile, from soil pigsty, probably from Latin sūs a swine

Example Sentences

It’s also a reasonable assumption—and a reassurance—that uniformed U.S. military personnel would be maintaining those jets on Saudi soil.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The 38-year-old, who has not made a Test hundred on home soil since January 2023, failed to open in either innings in Perth because of back spasms.

Read more on Barron's

For example, some seeds in the soil rely on heat shock or smoke to germinate.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"I'm the person who needs it and it's not giving me the information I need," the plant and soil scientist said.

Read more on BBC

She won seven Six Nations titles, including six Grand Slams, before lifting the World Cup in September with a 33-13 win over Canada on home soil.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• besmirch 
• contaminate 
• debase 
• degrade 
• muddy 
• pollute 
• smear 
• smudge 
• sully 
• taint 
• tar 
• tarnish