soil
noun /sɔɪl/
/sɔɪl/
[uncountable, countable]- the top layer of the earth in which plants, trees, etc. grow
- instruments for measuring soil moisture
- soil erosion
- the study of rocks and soils
- sandy/fertile soil
- rich/poor/dry/wet soil
- acid/alkaline soil
- clay soil
- moisture in the soil
- She dug the compost into the soil.
Synonyms soilsoilsee also potting soil- mud
- dust
- clay
- land
- earth
- dirt
- ground
- soil the top layer of the earth in which plants grow:
- Plant the seedlings in damp soil.
- mud wet soil that is soft and sticky:
- The car wheels got stuck in the mud.
- dust a fine powder that consists of very small pieces of rock, earth, etc:
- A cloud of dust rose as the truck set off.
- clay a type of heavy sticky soil that becomes hard when it is baked and is used to make things such as pots and bricks:
- The tiles are made of clay.
- land an area of ground, especially of a particular type:
- an area of rich, fertile land
- earth the substance that plants grow in Earth is often used about the soil found in gardens or used for gardening: She put some earth into the pot.
- dirt (especially North American English) soil, especially loose soil:
- Pack the dirt firmly around the plants.
- ground an area of soil:
- The car got stuck in the muddy ground.
- They drove across miles of rough, stony ground.
- good/rich soil/land/earth
- fertile/infertile soil/land/ground
- to dig the soil/mud/clay/land/earth/ground
- to cultivate the soil/land/ground
Extra ExamplesTopics Farmingb1, Gardensb1- Keep the soil moist and fertilize weekly.
- Soil samples taken from the site revealed massive amounts of radiation.
- The clay soils of the region are difficult to work.
- Rich loamy soils produce the largest leeks.
- The flowers do well in sandy soil.
- Cutting down forest trees can lead to serious soil erosion.
- In the valley the soil was waterlogged.
- Plant the seedlings in damp soil.
- Herbs should be planted in warm soil.
- Drainage removes excess water from the soil.
- You can't grow rice on certain soils.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- deep
- shallow
- thin
- …
- cultivate
- enrich
- improve
- …
- conservation
- degradation
- erosion
- …
- in (the) soil
- (literary) a country; an area of land
- It was the first time I had set foot on African soil.
- protests over the siting of nuclear weapons on British soil
- He was the first Canadian to win on home/native soil (= in Canada).
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- native
- foreign
- American
- …
- set foot on
- on…soil
- on home soil
Word Originnoun late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, perhaps representing Latin solium ‘seat’, by association with solum ‘ground’.