soil

1 of 4

verb (1)

ˈsȯi(-ə)l 

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

c

: dung, excrement

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

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• befoul
• begrime
• bemire
• besmirch
• blacken
• daub
• dirty
• distain [archaic]
• foul
• gaum [dialect]
• grime
• mire
• muck
• muddy
• smirch
• smudge
• stain
• sully

Noun (1)

• crud
• dirt
• filth
• grime
• gunk
• muck
• smut

Noun (2)

• clod
• dirt
• earth
• ground
• mold

Examples of soil in a Sentence

Verb (1)

oil and grease soiled the mechanic's shirt

Noun (1)

got some sort of soil on my white pants

the horse lifted its tail and deposited its soil on the grass

Noun (2)

bought rich soil to plant flowers in

happy to have soil under my feet after that long sea voyage

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

So in 1929, the president of the National League required umpires to start soiling balls for better grip, according to the Baseball Hall of Fame. —Evan Bush, NBC News, 4 Nov. 2024

For dishes that are lightly soiled and don't contain food with a high viscosity, Vuong recommends soaking the dishes for 5-10 minutes in hot, soapy water. —Claire Hoppe, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2024

Noun

True lilies need well-draining soil and should be planted in an area that receives full sun or some light shade and within their Hardiness Zone. —Lauren David, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2024

The gardens crisscrossed by canals in the capital’s southern Xochimilco borough are built up from layers of dredged soil, held together by tall, thin ahuejotes – a kind of willow tree – planted around their perimeter. —Mariana Martínez Barba and Julitàn Trejo Bax, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Nov. 2024

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

Phrases Containing soil

• desert soil
• fertile soil
• free soil
• native soil
• night soil
• potting soil
• prairie soil
• red soil
• soil one's hands
• soil pipe
• soil science
• soil series
• the soil

Kids Definition

soil

1 of 3 verb

ˈsȯi(ə)l 

: to make or become dirty

soil

2 of 3 noun

1

a

: soilage, stain

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

: country entry 1 sense 2b, land

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"