noun
dunghill
DUNG-hil
Dunghill (noun) means a heap of dung, especially one kept for use on farmland. Example: “The farmer forked manure onto the dunghill behind the barn.”
noun
1
A heap of dung, especially one kept for use on farmland.
"The farmer forked manure onto the dunghill behind the barn."
"Steam rose from the dunghill on a cold morning."
"They spread the rotted contents of the dunghill over the fields."
How to use dunghill
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA dunghill is a pile of dung, usually kept on a farm to use as fertilizer later.
When to use it
It is a plain, rural word most at home in a farming or agricultural context.
Memory tip
Think of it as simply 'dung' plus 'hill', which is exactly how the word was built.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
steaming dunghill
spread from the dunghill
behind the dunghill
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The farmer forked manure onto the _____ behind the barn.
Etymology
Dunghill was inherited from the Middle English word donghil, which was simply formed by joining dung and hill.
Synonyms
View more →
muckheap
dungheap
Frequently asked questions
What is a dunghill?
A dunghill is a pile of dung, usually built up on a farm so the manure can later be used to feed the soil.
What is a dunghill used for?
Once it has rotted down, the manure in a dunghill is spread on fields as fertilizer.
Where does the word dunghill come from?
It comes from the Middle English word donghil, formed by simply joining dung and hill.
What is the meaning of dunghill?
"dunghill" (noun) means a heap of dung, especially one kept for use on farmland.
