Loam
adj, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A type of soil; an earthy mixture of sand, silt and clay, with organic matter to which its fertility is chiefly due. countable, uncountable
"Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth to dust, the dust is earth, of earth we make loam, and of why that loam whereto he was converted might they not stop a beer-barrel?"
- 2 a rich soil consisting of a mixture of sand and clay and decaying organic materials wordnet
- 3 A mixture of sand, clay, and other materials, used in making moulds for large castings, often without a pattern. countable, uncountable
- 1 To cover, smear, or fill with loam.
- 1 Made of loam; consisting of loam. not-comparable
Example
More examples"No, faith, not a jot; but to follow him thither with modesty / enough, and likelihood to lead it; as thus: Alexander died, / Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth into dust; the dust is / earth; of earth we make loam; and why of that loam (whereto he / was converted) might they not stop a beer barrel? / Imperious Caesar, dead and turn'd to clay, / Might stop a hole to keep the wind away. / O, that that earth which kept the world in awe / Should patch a wall t' expel the winter's flaw!"
Etymology
From Middle English lome, lame, lam, from Old English lām (“clay, mud, mire, earth”), from Proto-West Germanic *laim, from Proto-Germanic *laimaz, *laimô (“clay”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂leyH- (“to smear”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Leem (“loam”), West Frisian liem (“loam”), Dutch leem (“loam”), German Lehm (“loam”). Related also to lime.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.