loam
[ lohm ]
/ loʊm /
noun
a rich, friable soil containing a relatively equal mixture of sand and silt and a somewhat smaller proportion of clay.
a mixture of clay, sand, straw, etc., used in making molds for founding and in plastering walls, stopping holes, etc.
earth or soil.
Obsolete.
clay or clayey earth.
verb (used with object)
to cover or stop with loam.
Origin of loam
before 900; late Middle English
lome, earlier
lam(e), Old English
lām; cognate with Dutch
leem, German
Lehm loam, clay; akin to
lime1
OTHER WORDS FROM loam
loam·i·ness, noun loam·less, adjective loam·y, adjectiveWords nearby loam
loaf bread,
loaf pan,
loaf sugar,
loafer,
loaiasis,
loam,
loan,
loan collection,
loan council,
loan office,
loan shark
Example sentences from the Web for loam
British Dictionary definitions for loam
loam
/ (ləʊm) /
noun
rich soil consisting of a mixture of sand, clay, and decaying organic material
a paste of clay and sand used for making moulds in a foundry, plastering walls, etc
verb
(tr)
to cover, treat, or fill with loam
Derived forms of loam
loamy, adjective loaminess, nounWord Origin for loam
Old English
lām; related to Old Swedish
lēmo clay, Old High German
leimo
Scientific definitions for loam
loam
[ lōm ]
Soil composed of approximately equal quantities of sand, silt, and clay, often with variable amounts of decayed plant matter.