loam

1 of 2

noun

ˈlōm 

chiefly Northern & Midland ˈlüm

New England also ˈlu̇m

1

a

: a mixture (as for plastering) composed chiefly of moistened clay

b

: a coarse molding sand used in founding (see found entry 5)

2

: soil

specifically : a soil consisting of a friable mixture of varying proportions of clay, silt, and sand

loamy

ˈlō-mē 

ˈlü-, 

ˈlu̇-

adjective

loamy

2 of 2

adjective

ˈlōmē 

ˈlüm-, 

-mi

usually -er/-est

: consisting of, like, or of the character of loam

Examples of loam in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Loamy and sandy loams are the ideal soil type. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 31 May 2026

Soil types include gravel and sedimentary loam closer to the river and volcanic rock distributed on the hillsides, a combination that adds distinct aromas, flavors, and minerality to the wines made here. —Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2026

Is the soil a porous, well-draining loam, or a rocky clay that will be hard to dig in and harder to drain? —Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2026

Asparagus prefers soil with plenty of organic matter, and that's well-drained, with an almost sandy-loam consistency. —Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 23 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English lom, from Old English lām clay, mud; akin to Old English līm lime

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing loam

• clay loam

Rhymes for loam

• brome
• chrome
• comb
• combe
• crome
• dome
• foam
• gnome
• holm
• roam
• tome
• acrosome

Kids Definition

loam

noun

ˈlōm 

: soil entry 3 sense 2

especially : a soil consisting of a loose easily crumbled mixture of varying amounts of clay, silt, and sand

loamy

ˈlō-mē 

adjective