loam
noun
ˈlōm 
chiefly Northern & Midland ˈlüm,
New England also ˈlu̇m
1
a
: a mixture (as for plastering) composed chiefly of moistened clay
b
: a coarse molding sand used in founding (see found entry 5)
2
: soil
specifically : a soil consisting of a friable mixture of varying proportions of clay, silt, and sand
loamy
ˈlō-mē
adjective ˈlü-
ˈlu̇-
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web In my experience, Texas's three primary soil types are clay, sand and loam (sand, silt and a little clay) soil mixtures. 
Robby Brown, Forbes, 15 July 2022 Mass Natural also sells loam, potting soil, and mulch made with compost. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 7 July 2022 The rich loam inside began spilling out onto the white pebble pathways around the beds, an eyesore and a waste. Nevin Martell, Washington Post, 8 June 2022 For example, Warren says the Higher Education Act of 1964 empowers the president to cancel an unlimited amount of student loans for an unlimited amount of student loam borrowers. Zack Friedman, Forbes, 3 May 2022 It is composed of loam, and exhibits, upon being excavated, quite a homogenous appearance. Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 8 May 2022 One picture, divided between a brick-red top and a loam-brown bottom, is in the formal tradition of color field painting. Washington Post, 29 Apr. 2022 Lovely violets open, with toasted spice, resinous botanicals, pine and loam layered on the nose. Sara L. Schneider, Robb Report, 11 Apr. 2022 Bolgheri, on the other hand, shows a significant influence of the proximity to the Tyrrhenian Sea, the lower elevation, the luminosity and the soils that are mainly composed of clay, sand or combinations of clay and loam. John Mariani, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2022 See More
Robby Brown, Forbes, 15 July 2022 Mass Natural also sells loam, potting soil, and mulch made with compost. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 7 July 2022 The rich loam inside began spilling out onto the white pebble pathways around the beds, an eyesore and a waste. Nevin Martell, Washington Post, 8 June 2022 For example, Warren says the Higher Education Act of 1964 empowers the president to cancel an unlimited amount of student loans for an unlimited amount of student loam borrowers. Zack Friedman, Forbes, 3 May 2022 It is composed of loam, and exhibits, upon being excavated, quite a homogenous appearance. Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 8 May 2022 One picture, divided between a brick-red top and a loam-brown bottom, is in the formal tradition of color field painting. Washington Post, 29 Apr. 2022 Lovely violets open, with toasted spice, resinous botanicals, pine and loam layered on the nose. Sara L. Schneider, Robb Report, 11 Apr. 2022 Bolgheri, on the other hand, shows a significant influence of the proximity to the Tyrrhenian Sea, the lower elevation, the luminosity and the soils that are mainly composed of clay, sand or combinations of clay and loam. John Mariani, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English lom, from Old English lām clay, mud; akin to Old English līm lime
First Known Use
12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing loam
Kids Definition
loam
noun
ˈlōm
: a soil having the appropriate amount of silt, clay, and sand for good plant growth
loam
noun
as in topsoil
a type of soil that is good for growing plants Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- topsoil
- humus
- clay
- gravel
- mud
- sand
- silt
- dirt
- earth
- gley
- clod
- kaolin
- marl
- alluvium
- mold
- ground
- muck
- loess
- gault
- sediment
- dust
- gumbo
- subsoil
- colluvium
- blackland
- detritus
- shingle
- duff
- gook
- substratum
- guck
- mull
