soil
Soil (noun) means the loose top layer of earth in which plants grow, made up of minerals, organic matter, and nutrients. Example: “Good soil is essential for a healthy vegetable garden.”
How to use soil
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the earth that plants grow in, a country's land, or (as a verb) to dirty or stain something.
Word forms
soiled past tense, soiled past tense, soils plural, soils plural, soils plural, soils singular, soils singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Good _____ is essential for a healthy vegetable garden.
Etymology
From Middle English soile, blending an Anglo-Norman word for "ground" (ultimately confused with Latin solum, "ground, earth") with an Old English word for "mud" or "wet sand."
Related words
Rhymes for soil
See all rhymes for soil →Frequently asked questions
What does “soil” mean?
The word “soil” means the loose top layer of earth in which plants grow, made up of minerals, organic matter, and nutrients. In plain terms, either the earth that plants grow in, a country's land, or (as a verb) to dirty or stain something.
How do you pronounce “soil”?
“Soil” is pronounced soyl (/sɔɪl/ in IPA).
How do you use “soil” in a sentence?
Here is “soil” used in a sentence: “Good soil is essential for a healthy vegetable garden.”
What is another word for “soil”?
Words with a similar meaning to “soil” include dirt and earth.
What part of speech is “soil”?
Depending on how it is used, “soil” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “soil” come from?
The word “soil” comes from Latin. From Middle English soile, blending an Anglo-Norman word for "ground" (ultimately confused with Latin solum, "ground, earth") with an Old English word for "mud" or "wet sand.".
Is “soil” a common word?
“Soil” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “soil” have?
“Soil” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the loose top layer of earth in which plants grow, made up of minerals, organic matter, and nutrients.
What is the difference between soil and dirt?
Soil is the living, nutrient-rich upper layer of earth where plants grow, full of minerals, organic matter, and tiny organisms. Dirt usually means soil that is out of place or unwanted, such as the grime on your shoes or floor. Gardeners work with soil; they clean away dirt.
What are the main types of soil?
The main types are sand, silt, and clay, defined by the size of their particles. Sand is coarse and drains fast, clay is fine and holds water, and silt sits in between. Loam, a balanced blend of all three, is prized by gardeners as the richest for growing plants.
What is soil made of?
Soil is a mixture of mineral particles from broken-down rock, organic matter from decayed plants and animals, water, air, and countless living organisms such as worms, insects, and microbes. These parts together store nutrients and give plant roots the support and nourishment they need to grow.
Why is soil important?
Soil is the foundation of almost all plant life, and therefore of the food we eat. It stores water and nutrients, anchors roots, filters rainwater, and provides a home for a vast web of organisms. Healthy soil supports agriculture, forests, and the wider balance of natural ecosystems.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include soil: