topsoil

[top-soil]

noun

1. the fertile, upper part of the soil.

verb (used with object)

1. to cover (land) with topsoil.

topsoil

/ ˈtɒpˌsɔɪl /

noun

1. the surface layer of soil

verb

1. to spread topsoil on (land)

2. to remove the topsoil from (land)

topsoil

1. The upper portion of a soil, usually dark colored and rich in organic material. It is more or less equivalent to the upper portion of an A horizon in an ABC soil.

topsoil

1. The thin, rich layer of soil where most nutrients for plants are found.

The loss of topsoil through erosion is a major agricultural problem.

Most of the land-based biological activity of the Earth takes place here.

Word History and Origins

Origin of topsoil¹

First recorded in 1860–65; top ¹ + soil ¹

Example Sentences

The typical approach to dealing with contaminated dirt is stripping away the topsoil.

From Los Angeles Times

Last week, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced it found high levels of lead and other toxic metals at homes destroyed by the wildfires whose topsoil had been scraped by the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times

The Army Corps and Federal Emergency Management Agency have said crews would clear wildfire debris and up to 6 inches of topsoil in ash-covered portions of the property.

From Los Angeles Times

Those tests typically had been used to determine whether cleanup crews should remove more than the first 6 inches of topsoil.

From Los Angeles Times

After previous wildfires, the Army Corps would first scrape 6 inches of topsoil from cleared properties and then test the ground underneath.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• clay 
• coast 
• dirt 
• dust 
• gravel 
• land 
• mud 
• sand 
• shore 
• surface 
• terrain 
• turf