Synonym Game

soilless

[soil] Origin

soil

1[soil]
noun
1.
the portion of the earth's surface consisting of disintegrated rock and humus.
2.
a particular kind of earth: sandy soil.
3.
the ground as producing vegetation or as cultivated for its crops: fertile soil.
4.
a country, land, or region: an act committed on American soil.
5.
the ground or earth: tilling the soil.
EXPAND
6.
any place or condition providing the opportunity for growth or development: Some believe that poverty provides the soil for crime.
COLLAPSE

Origin:
1300–50; Middle English soile < Anglo-French soyl < Latin solium seat, confused with solum ground

soil·less, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Soilless is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

soil
"the earth or ground," c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. soil "piece of ground, place" (13c.), from L. solium "seat," meaning confused with that of L. solum "soil, ground." Meaning "mould, earth, dirt" (especially that which plants grow in) is attested from c.1440.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
soil   (soil)  Pronunciation Key 
The loose top layer of the Earth's surface, consisting of rock and mineral particles mixed with decayed organic matter (humus), and capable of retaining water, providing nutrients for plants, and supporting a wide range of biotic communities. Soil is formed by a combination of depositional, chemical, and biological processes and plays an important role in the carbon, nitrogen, and hydrologic cycles. Soil types vary widely from one region to another, depending on the type of bedrock they overlie and the climate in which they form. In wet and humid regions, for example, soils tend to be thicker than they do in dry regions. See more at A horizon, B horizon, C horizon., See illustration at ABC soil.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

soil definition


Material on the surface of the Earth on which plants can grow. (See topsoil.)

Note: Soil is produced by the weathering of rocks.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
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