- 1the top layer of the earth in which plants, trees, etc. grow poor/dry/acid/sandy/fertile, etc. soil the study of rocks and soils soil erosion
- 2(literary) a country; an area of land It was the first time I had set foot on African soil. Thesaurussoil
- dirt
- mud
- dust
- clay
- land
- earth
- ground
- soil the top layer of the earth in which plants grow:Plant the seedlings in damp soil.
- dirt soil, especially loose soil:Pack the dirt firmly around the plants.
- mud wet soil that is soft and sticky:The car got stuck in the mud.
- dust a fine powder that consists of very small pieces of rock, earth, etc:A cloud of dust rose as the truck pulled away.
- clay a type of heavy sticky soil that becomes hard when it is baked and is used to make things such as pots and bricks:The tiles are made of clay.
- land an area of ground, especially of a particular type:an area of rich, fertile land
- earth the substance that plants grow in or where people are buried after they die
- ground an area of soil:The ground was still wet from the rain. They drove across miles of rough, rocky ground. Ground is not used for loose soil:a handful of dry ground
- good/rich soil/land/earth
- fertile/infertile soil/land/ground
- to dig (at/in) the soil/mud/clay/land/earth/ground
- to cultivate/plow the soil/land/earth
Check pronunciation: soil