ENGLISH
REFERENCE

dirt

n. uncountable
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˈdɝt// UK //dˈɜːt// dirt Archaic General-service

n. loose earth, soil, or dust that makes things messy. You also use this word for the dark material on the ground where plants grow.

n. loose earth, soil, or any substance such as dust or mud that soils a surface. In a mining or geological context, it refers to the earth or rock from which mineral ore is extracted.


SIMPLE

The children have dirt all over their clothes.

CONTEXTUAL

After a long day working in the garden, he had to scrub the dirt from under his fingernails.

COMPLEX

The excavation team spent weeks sifting through layers of packed dirt and gravel before they finally uncovered the foundations of the ancient settlement.

Synonyms
Usage

Primarily uncountable; when used in the plural 'dirts', it refers specifically to different types of soil in technical or agricultural contexts.

Idioms5 entries

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