Where does “subsoil” come from?
Subsoil comes from English sub- combined with soil, which derives from Latin solum meaning "ground" or "floor," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sed- meaning "to sit."
subsoil (English): The layer of earth that is below the topsoil; To...
Definitions
- The layer of earth that is below the topsoil; To...
Ancestry of “subsoil”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | soil | A mixture of mineral particles and organic... |
| 2 | Old English | solian | to soil; become defiled; make or become foul |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | sulwōną | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | sūl- | thick liquid, muck |
Words derived from “subsoil”