soil
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /sɔɪl/
ipa: [sɔɪ̯ɫ]
rhymes: -ɔɪl
Forms: form: soils
form: soyl
Etymology: From Middle English soile, soyle, sule (“ground, earth”), partly from Anglo-Norman soyl (“bottom, ground, pavement”), from Latin solium (“seat, chair; throne”), mistaken for Latin solum (“ground, foundation, earth, sole of the foot”); and partly from Old English sol (“mud, mire, wet sand”), from Proto-Germanic *sulą (“mud, spot”), from Proto-Indo-European *sūl- (“thick liquid”). Cognate with Middle Low German söle (“dirt, mud”), Middle Dutch sol (“dirt, filth”), Middle High German sol, söl (“dirt, mud, mire”), Danish søle (“mud, muck”). Compare French seuil (“level; threshold”) and sol (“soil, earth; ground”). See also sole, soal, solum.
For the sole and soil relation, compare typologically Russian по́чва (póčva) akin to подо́шва (podóšva).
Senses: examples: text: We bought a bag of soil for the houseplants.
glosses: A mixture of mineral particles and organic material, used to support plant growth.
glosses: The unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants.
glosses: The unconsolidated mineral or organic matter on the surface of the earth that has been subjected to and shows effects of genetic and environmental factors of: climate (including water and temperature effects), and macro- and microorganisms, conditioned by relief, acting on parent material over a period of time. A product-soil differs from the material from which it is derived in many physical, chemical, biological, and morphological properties and characteristics.
examples: text: Except during the season in town, she spends her year in golfing, either at St Magnus or Pau, for, like all good Americans, she has long since abjured her native soil.
ref: 1902, Robert Marshall Grade, The Haunted Major:
text: Pro-democracy demonstrations in the Thai capital saw Germany's embassy become the focus Monday as the throngs of protesters gathered in front of the mission asked Berlin to investigate whether King Maha Vajiralongkorn is inappropriately conducting state business on German soil.
ref: 2020 October 27, Apornrath Phoonphongphiphat, Yuda Masayuki, “Thailand protesters query German embassy on absent king”, in Nikkei Asia, Nikkei Inc, retrieved 27 Oct 2020:
glosses: Country or territory.
examples: text: And ſince not only a dead Fathers fame, / But more a Ladies honour muſt be touch’d, / Which nice as Ermines will not bear a Soil ; / Let all retire ; that you alone may hear / What ev’n in whiſpers I won’d tell your ear.
ref: 1690, John Dryden, Don Sebastian, King of Portugal: A Tragedy Acted at the Theatre Royal, London: Jo. Hindmarſh, act V, page 118:
glosses: That which soils or pollutes; a stain.
examples: text: As Deere being ſtrucke flie thorow many ſoiles, / Yet ſtill the ſhaft ſitcks faſt, ſo ;
ref: 1603, John Marston, John Webster, The Malcontent, act III, scene i:
glosses: A marshy or miry place to which a hunted boar resorts for refuge; hence, a wet place, stream, or tract of water, sought for by other game, as deer.
examples: text: night soil
text: HAving given you an Account of the way of ordering of Meadows, Paſtures and Arable Land, with ſeveral Sorts of Improvement of them ; I ſhall in the next place proceed to give an Account of the ſeveral ways uſed to improve Land by Manure, Dung, and other Sort of Soils.
ref: 1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, “Of Manuring, Dunging, and Soiling of Land”, in The Whole Art of Husbandry; Or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land, 2nd edition, London: J. H. for H. Mortlock, and J. Robinſon, published 1708, page 66:
glosses: Dung; compost; manure.
Synonyms: sense: senses 1 to 3
word: dirt
sense: senses 1 to 3
word: earth
Meronyms: organic matter
Derived terms: ABC soil
black cotton soil
blood and soil
desert soil
fill soil
garden soil
green soil
home soil
native soil
night soil
night-soil
night soil man
potting soil
racy of one's soil
racy of the soil
sandy soil
soil acidification
soil biochemistry
soil centipede
soil chemistry
soil classification
soil conservation
soil creep
soil fertility
soil genesis
soilless
soil management
soil mechanics
soil microbiology
soil mineralogy
soil nail
soil physics
soil pipe
soil pollution
soil science
soil scientist
soil series
soil stabiliser
soil stack
soil sterilant
son of the soil
swelling soil
take soil
topsoil
top soil
virgin soil
virgin soil epidemic
Related terms: solum
alluvium