red soil

noun

: any of a group of zonal soils that develop in a warm temperate moist climate under deciduous or mixed forests and that have thin organic and organic-mineral layers overlying a yellowish-brown leached layer resting on a red horizon marked by illuviation

called also red podzolic soil

Examples of red soil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Redstone Arsenal, named after northern Alabama’s red soil, was established in 1941 as a war chemicals plant with an ordnance facility next door. Alexandra Heal, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2023 Plus, the glow from the red soil was super flattering. Sue D. Gelber, The New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2023 Passengers on board get the full experience, including specialty drinks, music, and amazing views of the agave plantations that contrast the red soil and the blue plant. Christin Parcerisa Vigueras, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2023 This soil, also called simulant, is designed and created to mimic the red soil on Mars. Chelsea Gohd, Discover Magazine, 2 Oct. 2018 Kids rifled through spoil piles for beads or pretty potsherds, while the older ones dug craters into the red soil. Keith Kloor, Discover Magazine, 26 Oct. 2011 Future space travelers could depend on Martian dirt for everything from building structures on the planet’s surface to growing plants in Mars’ dusty, red soil. Chelsea Gohd, Discover Magazine, 2 Oct. 2018 The cliffs were formed from a perfect mixture of hard rock and the red soil unique to Southwest Utah that allows a tire to neither stick nor slide and that transforms into a malleable clay perfect for building jumps when wet. Julie Jag, The Salt Lake Tribune, 21 Oct. 2022 Chili-pepper bushes and green-bean vines grow in uniform rows; the fertile red soil of the valley floor is pristine and weed-free; every square inch is meticulously cultivated. Nicola Twilley, The New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'red soil.' 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

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of red soil was in 1817

Dictionary Entries Near red soil

Cite this Entry

“Red soil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red%20soil. Accessed 24 Sep. 2023.

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