What does "sod" mean?
The stratum of the surface of the soil which is filled with the roots of grass, or any portion of that surface; turf; sward.
Sod
/sɑd/ adj, intj, noun, verb, slang
adj, intj, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The stratum of the surface of the soil which is filled with the roots of grass, or any portion of that surface; turf; sward.
- Grammar: sod is listed as adj, intj, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: turf, acres, alluvion, alluvium.
- Useful contrasts: alien country, angel, applause.
- Usage evidence: The lucky sod just won the lottery.
How to use "sod"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sod" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sod" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sod" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sod" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sod" is acting as adj, intj, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "turf" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sod", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The stratum of the surface of the soil which is filled with the roots of grass, or any portion of that surface; turf; sward. uncountable
"She there shall dress a sweeter sod / Than Fancy's feet have ever trod."
- 2 Sodomite; bugger. Ireland, UK, dated, vulgar
"The Empire, in particular, was always thick with sods: they strolled side-by-side with the gay girls of the promenade, or stood, in little knots, exchanging gossip, comparing fortunes, greeting one another with flapping hands and high, extravagant voices."
- 3 A damper (bread) which has failed to rise, remaining a flat lump. Australia, colloquial
"And Mart the cook the shovel took / And swung the damper to and fro. / 'Another sod, so help me God, / That's fourteen in a flamin' row."
- 4 The rock dove.
- 5 Abbreviation of superoxide dismutase. abbreviation, alt-of
Show 10 more definitions
- 6 Initialism of separation of duties. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism, uncountable
"Separation of duties (SoD) is one of the key concepts of internal control and is the most difficult and sometimes the most costly control to achieve. SoD states that no single individual should have control over two or more phases of a transaction or operation, which makes deliberate fraud more difficult to perpetrate because it requires the collusion of two or more individuals or parties."
- 7 surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and grass roots wordnet
- 8 Turf grown and cut specifically for the establishment of lawns. uncountable
"The landscapers rolled sod onto the bare earth and made a presentable lawn by nightfall."
- 9 A person; often qualified with an adjective. Ireland, UK, derogatory, mildly, slang
"You mean old sod!"
- 10 Abbreviation of start of day. abbreviation, alt-of
- 11 an informal term for a youth or man wordnet
- 12 A piece of this. countable
"In Walachia, green sods are laid on the window-sills and on the lintels of the doors to avert the uncanny crew [i.e. witches]."
- 13 Any trifling amount, a bugger, a damn, a jot. Ireland, UK, mildly, vulgar
"I don’t care a sod."
- 14 someone who engages in anal copulation (especially a male who engages in anal copulation with another male) wordnet
- 15 an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of superoxide into hydrogen peroxide and oxygen wordnet
Verb
- 1 To cover with sod.
"He sodded the worn areas twice a year."
- 2 Bugger; sodomize. Ireland, UK, slang, transitive, vulgar
- 3 simple past of seethe form-of, obsolete, past
"Iacob ſod potage ⁊ Eſau came from the feld ⁊ was faine […]"
- 4 cover with sod wordnet
- 5 Damn, curse, confound. Ireland, UK, slang, transitive, vulgar
"Sod him!, Sod it!, Sod that bastard!"
Adjective
- 1 Boiled. obsolete
"Beer, if it be over-new, or over-stale, over-strong, or not sod,[…]is most unwholesome, frets, and galls, etc."
- 2 Sodden; incompletely risen. Australia
"sod damper"
Intj
- 1 expression of surprise, contempt, outrage, disgust, boredom, frustration. Ireland, UK, vulgar
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The lucky sod just won the lottery."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sod"?
Common synonyms include: turf, acres, alluvion, alluvium, arable land, birthplace.
How do you use "sod" in a sentence?
The lucky sod just won the lottery.
How do you pronounce "sod"?
Pronounced /sɑd/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English sod, sodde first attested in the mid-15th century, from Middle Dutch zoden (“turf”) or Middle Low German sôde, soede (“turf”), both related to Dutch zode (“turf”), German Sode (“turf”), Old Frisian sātha (“sod”), all being of uncertain ultimate origin.
Etymology 2
Clipping of sodomite or sodomize.
Etymology 3
From the Old English plural past tense, or a back-formation from the past participle sodden.