topdressing \ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷\noun Etymology: from gerund of topdress 1. a.: the act of one who topdresses soil b.: the material used to topdress soil 2.: a surface layer of extraneous matter < a sorry collection of old wheezes dressed out with a topdressing of analytical jargon — Louis Untermeyer >