soil

UK: /ˈsɔɪl/ US: /sɔɪl/ ,(soil)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

soil¹ /sɔɪl/   n. [uncountable]

1. the portion of the earth's surface made up of humus;
   earth:
   Farmers were at work tilling the soil for thousands of years.
2. a country, land, or region:
   longing to set foot on his native soil.
3. any environment that encourages growth.

soil² /sɔɪl/   v. 

1. to (cause to) become dirty: [~ + object]
   The baby had soiled her diapers.
   [no object]
   These white clothes soil too easily.

n. [uncountable]

2. the act or fact of soiling, or the state of being soiled.
3. a spot or stain:
   The detergent gets rid of soil and stains.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

soil¹  (soil), n. 

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.
6. any place or condition providing the opportunity for growth or development:
   Some believe that poverty provides the soil for crime.

• Latin solium seat, confused with solum ground
• Anglo-French soyl
• Middle English soile 1300–50

soil′less, adj. 

soil²  (soil), v.t. 

1. to make unclean, dirty, or filthy, esp. on the surface:
   to soil one's clothes.
2. to smirch, smudge, or stain:
   The ink soiled his hands.
3. to sully or tarnish, as with disgrace;
   defile morally:
   to soil one's good name.

v.i. 

4. to become soiled:
   White soils easily.

n. 

5. the act or fact of soiling.
6. the state of being soiled.
7. a spot, mark, or stain.
8. dirty or foul matter;
   filth;
   sewage.
9. ordure;
   manure.

• Vulgar Latin *suculāre, equivalent. to sū(s) pig + -cul(us) -cle¹ + -āre infinitive ending
• Old French souiller, soillier to dirty
• Middle English soilen (verb, verbal) 1175–1225

Synonyms

• 3. blacken, taint, debase.

soil³  (soil), v.t. 

1. Animal Husbandry to feed (confined cattle, horses, etc.) freshly cut green fodder for roughage.

• origin, originally uncertain 1595–1605

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

soil / sɔɪl/ noun

1. the top layer of the land surface of the earth that is composed of disintegrated rock particles, humus, water, and air
   See horizon4
2. a type of this material having specific characteristics: loamy soil
3. land, country, or region: one's native soil
4. the soil ⇒ life and work on a farm; land: he belonged to the soil, as his forefathers had
5. any place or thing encouraging growth or development

Etymology: 14th Century: from Anglo-Norman, from Latin solium a seat, but confused with Latin solum the ground

soil / sɔɪl/ verb

1. to make or become dirty or stained
2. (transitive) to pollute with sin or disgrace; sully; defile

noun

1. the state or result of soiling
2. refuse, manure, or excrement

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French soillier to defile, from soil pigsty, probably from Latin sūs a swine

soil / sɔɪl/ verb

1. (transitive) to feed (livestock) freshly cut green fodder either to fatten or purge them

Etymology: 17th Century: perhaps from obsolete vb (C16) soil to manure, from soil² (n)