hardpan

noun

hard·​pan ˈhärd-ˌpan How to pronounce hardpan (audio)
1
: a cemented or compacted and often clayey layer in soil that is impenetrable by roots
2
: a fundamental part : bedrock

Examples of hardpan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This year's Burning Man festival abruptly dumped 70,000 people into that scenario when torrential rains turned the hardpan of the Black Rock desert into a soupy, muddy mess and organizers told attendees to shelter in place and conserve food and water. Ezra Dyer, Car and Driver, 6 Sep. 2023 This hardpan is called caleche, and is equivalent to a 2-inch thick layer of concrete. Margaret Lauterbach, idahostatesman, 31 Jan. 2018 But the wind was gusting to 30 mph, and the sun baked out greens that became like Texas hardpan. Doug Ferguson, Orange County Register, 23 Mar. 2017 Root constriction caused by hardpan or compacted soil, sunburn, borer insects, soil nematodes, root rot, powdery mildew and spider mites might also be affecting the tree. Debbie Arrington, sacbee.com, 25 May 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hardpan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hardpan was in 1803

Dictionary Entries Near hardpan

Cite this Entry

“Hardpan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hardpan. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on hardpan

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!