dirt
/dɜːt/ IELTSAcademic
noun
Loose earth, soil, or mud on a surface. It often means the dry or wet matter found on the ground, clothes, or objects.
- There was dirt on his shoes.
- Please wipe the dirt off the table.
- The child played in the dirt.
Adinary Nuance
Dirt is broader and less technical than soil. Use soil for ground used for plants, farming, or study; use dirt for loose, messy earth. It is also more everyday than mud, which means wet dirt.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- đất bẩn
- Spanish
- suciedad
- Chinese
- 污垢
- Japanese
- 汚れ
- Korean
- 흙
Etymology
Old English had the word "dirt" in forms linked to filth and mud. Over time, it came to mean loose soil and anything dirty on a surface.
Common phrases
a patch of dirtdirt on the floorcovered in dirtget the dirt off
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between dirt and soil?
- Use **soil** for land where plants grow. Use **dirt** for loose, dirty earth in everyday speech.
- Is dirt a formal word?
- No. **Dirt** is common in everyday English. In formal or scientific writing, **soil** is often better.
- Can dirt mean something bad about a person?
- Yes. In informal English, **dirt** can mean gossip or secrets about someone.