soil

1 of 4

verb (1)

soiled; soiling; soils

transitive verb

1
: to stain or defile morally : corrupt
2
: to make unclean especially superficially : dirty
3
: to blacken or taint (something, such as a person's reputation) by word or deed

intransitive verb

: to become soiled or dirty

soil

2 of 4

noun (1)

1
a
: soilage, stain
protect a dress from soil
b
: moral defilement : corruption
2
: something that spoils or pollutes: such as
a
: refuse
b
: sewage

soil

3 of 4

noun (2)

1
: firm land : earth
2
a
: the upper layer of earth that may be dug or plowed and in which plants grow
b
: the superficial unconsolidated and usually weathered part of the mantle of a planet and especially of the earth
3
: country, land
our native soil
4
: the agricultural life or calling
5
: a medium in which something takes hold and develops

soil

4 of 4

verb (2)

soiled; soiling; soils

transitive verb

: to feed (livestock) in the barn or an enclosure with fresh grass or green food
also : to purge (livestock) by feeding on green food

Examples of soil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Lightweight and easy to use, the Simpli Magic was slightly heavier when soiled, but not enough to weigh it down. Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 21 Sep. 2023 Mattresses and box springs must not be severely damaged, wet, twisted, frozen, soiled or infested with bedbugs, a city statement reads. San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2023 And Girardi increasingly was unable to care for himself hygienically, wearing the same pair of pants for days, even after soiling his clothes. Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2023 The water in his bathroom sink was plentiful and warm, the dinnerware — bowls, spoons, cups, strainer (the man has an appetite) — suitably soiled. Peter Marks, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2023 San Francisco officials say their encampment operations allow outreach workers to connect homeless people to services while cleaning areas soiled with trash, used needles and spoiled food. Jane Har, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Aug. 2023 Confined to a small space, with his hands tied, Anton soiled himself. Masha Gessen, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023 Protect your flag—make sure that it is not displayed or stored in a way that would allow the flag to be torn, soiled, or otherwise damaged. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023 Roadsides were heaped with all manner of garbage: rotting food, barbecue grills, bottles, ice chests, soiled diapers and float toys. Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2023
Noun
Even as recent as my undergraduate soil science class (OK, not that recent), we were taught that the presence of any goldenrod in a field was synonymous with poor soil fertility. Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 2 Sep. 2023 If the splashes are caused directly by rain droplets, spread pea gravel a couple of inches deep on top of the existing soil alongside the foundation. Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2023 In addition to the unforgiving climate and hardscrabble, crop-resistance soil, Kahlen has to battle with Frederik de Schinkel, a brutal and arrogant land baron determined to claim Kahlen’s land for his own. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Sep. 2023 Keep in mind that this weeder works particularly well after watering or rainfall, rather than on dry soil. Andrea Wurzburger, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2023 This fall students will plant garlic and harvest it next spring, while Annie Bayer, farm manager and educator at Revive The Roots, Smithfield’s edible garden partner, teaches them about the role of oxygen in soil health. Annie Sherman, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Sep. 2023 Cano says producers are focusing on optimizing soil humidity, which helps prevent moisture from escaping. Alessio Perrone, Scientific American, 31 Aug. 2023 After soil remediation, the UIC Construction crew will install a liner in the zone where the contaminated material was excavated and backfill the soil with clean gravel, said UIC Construction Project Manager James Ashton, who is leading the work. Alena Naiden, Anchorage Daily News, 31 Aug. 2023 Known as a carbon sink, regions like the Boreal trap carbon in their soil. Meredith Woerner, Variety, 31 Aug. 2023 See More

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

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French soiller, suiller, from Old French soil wallow of a wild boar, abyss, from Latin solium chair, bathtub; akin to Latin sedēre to sit — more at sit

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, soil, piece of land, from Vulgar Latin *solium, alteration of Latin solea sole, sandal, foundation timber — more at sole

Verb (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb (1)

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

Noun (1)

1501, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1605, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of soil was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near soil

Cite this Entry

“Soil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soil. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

soil

1 of 3 verb
: to make or become dirty

soil

2 of 3 noun
1
a
b
: moral soilage : corruption
2
: something that soils or pollutes

soil

3 of 3 noun
1
: firm land : earth
2
: the loose surface material of the earth in which plants grow
3
4
: an environment in which something may take root and grow
slums are fertile soil for crime
Etymology

Verb

Middle English soilen "to corrupt, make dirty," from early French soiller "to wallow," from soil "pigsty"

Noun

Middle English soil "earth," from early French soil (same meaning), derived from Latin solea "sole, sandal, foundation timber"

More from Merriam-Webster on soil

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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