earthy

adjective

ˈər-thē  -t͟hē 

earthier; earthiest

1

a

: of, relating to, or consisting of earth

earthy creatures like worms

b

: suggestive of earth (as in texture, odor, or color)

an earthy yellow

c

: rough, coarse, or plain in taste

earthy flavors

2

a

archaic : earthly, worldly

b

: characteristic of or associated with mortal life on the earth

prefers earthy to ethereal themes

3

: suggestive of plain or poor people or their ways: such as

a

: practical, down-to-earth

earthy problems of daily life

b

: crude, gross

earthy humor

c

: plain and simple in style : unsophisticated

earthy peasant cookery

earthy decor

4

informal : crunchy sense 2

Belly dance—big with earthy types in the '70s and early '80s—is once again hip …

—Valerie Berenyi

earthiness noun

Synonyms of earthy

• sandy
• loamy
• muddy

Examples of earthy in a Sentence

a blend of earthy colors

The wine had an earthy flavor.

Critics were impressed by the movie's earthy realism.

food made with simple, earthy ingredients

Recent Examples on the Web

Shop it in this earthy olive green hue with 60 percent off, or opt for a variety of colors from black to clay, brown, maple, and light denim blue. —Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2026

Its homeliness is also its wealth—small and bricked, perhaps no longer functioning in its original capacity as a home to farmers but retaining a gift for earthy pleasures by keeping green, by keeping humble. —Literary Hub, 5 Mar. 2026

Green cabinets are more earthy than emerald in 2026. —Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026

Its forest green grid against the earthy background gives this pillow just enough sophistication without veering too far from a bucolic moment. —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 4 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing earthy

• earthy-crunchy

Kids Definition

earthy

adjective

ˈər-thē  -t͟hē 

earthier; earthiest

1

: consisting of or resembling earth

an earthy flavor

2

a

: suggestive of plain or poor people or their ways : practical sense 4, down-to-earth

earthy problems of everyday life

b

: not polite : crude

earthy humor

earthiness noun