dirt

noun

ˈdərt 

1

a

: excrement

b

: a filthy or soiling substance (such as mud, dust, or grime)

c

archaic : something worthless

d

: a contemptible person

treated me like dirt

2

: loose or packed soil or sand : earth

a mound of dirt

a dirt road

3

a

: an abject or filthy state : squalor

living in dirt

b

: corruption, chicanery

vowed to clean up the dirt in the city government

c

: licentiousness of language or theme

d

: scandalous or malicious gossip

spreading dirt about his ex-wife

e

: embarrassing or incriminating information

trying to dig up dirt on her political rivals

Synonyms

• clod
• earth
• ground
• mold
• soil

Examples of dirt in a Sentence

Pack dirt loosely around the base of the plant.

You've got some dirt on your face.

Their shoes were covered with dirt.

No amount of cleaning will get rid of all this dirt.

Recent Examples on the Web

These sprays and concentrates will make scuffs, dirt, patches, and spills a thing of the past. —Kelsey Mulvey, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Nov. 2023

Mounds of dirt and food scraps, known as windrows, sometimes taller than the people working them, need to be turned over by shovel every seven days for months, even in bad weather. —John Leland, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2023

Once these pipes get four or five feet deep, the temperature stays fairly stable throughout the year, so the dirt is warmer than outdoor air during the winter and cooler than it in the summer. —WIRED, 17 Nov. 2023

Every single one of these have been filling the house with more dirt and shaking the core of the building. —Carson Terbush, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023

The laser dirt detection highlights fine particles on the floor for a better clean. —Camryn Rabideau, Peoplemag, 15 Nov. 2023

Time is running out for Garfield’s football field that has more exposed dirt than green grass. —Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2023

Most of the dirt was gone and the color was vibrant and refreshed. —Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 9 Nov. 2023

Construction crews have been moving dirt for a couple of weeks. —Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Nov. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English drit, from Old Norse; akin to Old English drītan to defecate

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing dirt

• dirt bike
• dirt cheap
• dirt farmer
• dirt floor
• hit the dirt
• dirt road
• dirt-poor
• treat (someone) like dirt
• pay dirt
• hit/strike pay dirt
• in the dirt

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• dirt bike
• dirt cheap
• dirt farmer
• dirt floor
• hit the dirt
• dirt road
• dirt-poor
• treat (someone) like dirt
• pay dirt
• hit/strike pay dirt
• in the dirt

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Kids Definition

dirt

noun

ˈdərt 

1

: a filthy or soiling substance (as mud, dust, or grime)

2

: loose or packed earth : soil

a mound of dirt

3

a

: corruption sense 2

b

: indecent language : obscenity

4

: harmful gossip

stop spreading dirt about him