peat moss

noun

1

: sphagnum moss that has become compacted with other plant debris to form peat (see peat entry 1 sense 1a)

When harvested from the bog, peat moss dries out quickly and is turned into amendments meant to improve drainage and retain moisture in soils.

—Kim Pokorny

The area was so full of peat moss, the construction crew had to dig down three metres to find solid footing for bridge abutments.

—Elise Stolte

2

: dried and processed peat used especially as a soil amendment (see amendment sense 3)

Many commercial potting soil contains peat moss, commonly sourced from bogs in Canada, which are exceptional carbon sinks.

—Paige Curtis

Examples of peat moss in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Understanding Potting Soil Composition Potting soil is made from a conglomerate of organic matter like peat moss, bark, perlite, and sometimes compost. —Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2025

Miracle-Gro Houseplant Potting Mix contains perlite, sphagnum peat moss, fertilizer, a wetting agent and coir to help your indoor plants grow. —Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 4 Apr. 2025

The separation, plus an absorbent additive like sawdust or peat moss, dries the solids and prevents odor. —New Atlas, 7 Mar. 2025

Don’t add anything like peat moss to the hole, which causes drainage issues down the road. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for peat moss

• across
• backcross
• crisscross
• lacrosse
• recross
• tomas
• albatross
• applesauce
• barabbas
• helios
• kshatriyas
• blas

Kids Definition

peat moss

noun

: sphagnum