The top layer of the Earth’s surface, made of small pieces of rock, minerals, and decayed plants and animals, in which plants grow. It is also called earth or dirt.
“Soil” in the sense of ground comes from Old French “sol,” from Latin “solum,” meaning “floor” or “ground.” English adopted it for the land plants grow in. There is a separate verb “soil,” meaning “to make dirty,” from a different French root.
Soil is not just “dirt”; it’s a living system full of organisms, air, and water. The fact that English uses one short word for this entire hidden universe shows how easily we overlook it. Without soil, there is no agriculture, and without agriculture, there is no civilization.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.