Peat is decaying plant material which is found under the ground in some cool, wet regions. Peat can be added to soil to help plants grow, or can be burnt on fires instead of coal.
peat in British English1
(piːt)
noun
1.
a.
a compact brownish deposit of partially decomposed vegetable matter saturated with water: found in uplands and bogs in temperate and cold regions and used as a fuel (when dried) and as a fertilizer
b.
(as modifier)
peat bog
2.
a piece of dried peat for use as fuel
Derived forms
peaty (ˈpeaty)
adjective
Word origin
C14: from Anglo-Latin peta, perhaps from Celtic; compare Welsh peth thing
peat in British English2
(piːt)
noun
1. archaic, derogatory
a person, esp a woman
2. obsolete
a term of endearment for a girl or woman
Word origin
C16: of uncertain origin
peat in American English
(pit)
noun
1.
partly decayed, moisture-absorbing plant matter found in ancient bogs and swamps, used as a plant covering or fuel
2.
a dried block of this used as fuel
Derived forms
peaty (ˈpeaty)
adjectiveWord forms: ˈpeatier or ˈpeatiest
Word origin
ME pete < ML peta, piece of turf, prob. < Celt *pett-, piece > piece, Welsh peth
Examples of 'peat' in a sentence
peat
It also uses peat in its landscaping.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
But the product must be accompanied by clearer, more comparative arguments against the use of peat.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
No sleigh bells, peat fires or roasting chestnuts.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The tax will be imposed on home heating oil, coal and peat next year.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In some places surface blazes ignited peat and coal seams, causing underground fires that are difficult to extinguish.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
She has always used peat.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
LIFT some parsnips and store in dry soil or peat under polythene ready for use when the soil is frozen.
The Sun (2008)
There are only eight basic rooms as well as two lounges with peat fires, simple food and a feeling of being caught somewhere in past times.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
How smoky, smelly and conversational it must have been in there, with five or six people crammed tight together and a good peat fire blazing away.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
peat
British English: peat /piːt/ NOUN
Peat is dark decaying plant material which is found in some cool wet regions. It can be burned as a fuel or used for growing plants in.
A peat fire burned smokily in the large fireplace.
American English: peat
Arabic: سِمَاد طَبِيعِيّ
Brazilian Portuguese: turfa
Chinese: 泥煤
Croatian: treset
Czech: rašelina
Danish: tørv
Dutch: turf
European Spanish: turba
Finnish: turve
French: tourbe
German: Torf
Greek: τύρφη
Italian: torba
Japanese: 泥炭
Korean: 이탄
Norwegian: torv
Polish: torf
European Portuguese: turfa
Romanian: turbă
Russian: торф
Latin American Spanish: turba
Swedish: torv
Thai: ถ่านหินเลน
Turkish: turba
Ukrainian: торф
Vietnamese: than bùn
All related terms of 'peat'
peat bog
a bog containing peat or a compact brownish deposit of partially decomposed vegetable matter saturated with water
peat moss
any of various mosses , esp sphagnum , that grow in wet places in dense masses and decay to form peat
peat pot
a pot containing compresses peat used for planting seeds
peat reek
the smoke of a peat fire
bog moss
any of various mosses , esp sphagnum , that grow in wet places in dense masses and decay to form peat
sphagnum
any moss of the genus Sphagnum, of temperate bogs , having leaves capable of holding much water: layers of these mosses decay to form peat