soil profile

noun

1. a vertical succession of horizons, commonly lettered A, B, C (beginning at the surface), that have been subjected to soil-forming processes, chiefly leaching and oxidation.
2. a diagram of a vertical section of soil depicting the horizons.

Word History and Origins

Origin of soil profile¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

When you cut the plant and it dies, there’s all that carbon from the atmosphere that’s now deep in the soil profile and becomes stable soil carbon.

From Nautilus

The midden material is extremely compact, and there is a suggested development of a soil profile.

From Project Gutenberg

From the walls of the pit it could be noted that some soil profile had already developed.

From Project Gutenberg