night soil

Definition of night soilnext

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of night soil This strategy became necessary after an errant tomato plant sprouted from a visitor's night soil back in the 1960s. Amy Brady, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2023 The night soil temperatures are not ideal to put them out yet. oregonlive, 1 May 2021 For millennia, people collected these precious substances—often in the wee hours, giving rise to the term night soil—and used them to grow food. Julia Rosen, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for night soil
Noun
  • The farmers also pitched in with efforts of their own, including adjusting fertilizer methods, controlling soil erosion and increasing on-site water retention.
    Amy Green, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Another key area involves developing artificial lunar and Martian soil simulants to test rover traction and propulsion systems.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • McCluskey described it as one leg of a three-legged stool, the others being real estate development and property management.
    Kff Health News, Oc Register, 14 Jan. 2026
  • Measles shows up in wastewater because infected people naturally shed tiny bits of the virus in things like mucus, saliva and stool.
    Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 13 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The smell of dirt, hay and horse manure permeated the building.
    Chris Torres, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Tetanus bacteria live in soil and manure.
    Mustafa Fattah, NBC news, 24 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • Moore turns her daughter around and shows off her backside, which is also covered in poop.
    Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
  • More than 15 poops were under a counter by the coffee station.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 19 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • The disposal of human excrement is not a new issue.
    NPR, NPR, 19 Nov. 2025
  • There are some large, black ravens, two nesting macaws shielded from view, and four pairs of African greys in cages, their floors coated with excrement.
    Rene Ebersole, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Night soil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/night%20soil. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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