fuller's earth
- noun
- /ˈfʊlərz ɜrθ/
- Specialized
:
tierra de fuller
- The mechanic used fuller's earth to soak up the oil spill on the workshop floor.
Examples
-
Cosmetic companies sometimes include fuller's earth in facial masks for its oil-absorbing properties.
-
Historically, fuller's earth was essential in the process of cleaning and thickening woolen fabrics.
-
The artist used fuller's earth to create a natural pigment.
-
Many cleaners contain fuller's earth for its absorbent properties.
-
Cosmetic companies sometimes include fuller's earth in facial masks for its oil-absorbing properties.
-
The mechanic used fuller's earth to soak up the oil spill on the workshop floor.
-
Historically, fuller's earth was essential in the process of cleaning and thickening woolen fabrics.
Synonyms
171
1.0
A heavy sticky earth that is soft when wet and used to make pots and bricks
A fine clay that removes color and unwanted parts from oils
How Adsorbent
- Specialized
1
4.1
- Specialized
- Specialized
171
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
fuller's + earth
The phrase pairs 'earth' (soil/clay) with 'fuller's', historically meaning 'of a fuller' (a worker who cleans/fulled wool), so the literal structure indicates an earth used by fullers — i.e., a cleaning/absorbent clay. However, 'fuller' is a specialized/archaic occupational term and the possessive compound is lexicalized, so many B1 learners who only know basic senses of the parts would not infer the specific cleaning-clay meaning without prior exposure.
Etymology
Fuller's earth comes from the people called fullers who cleaned wool cloth and made it thicker, and from earth meaning a soft clay they used. They used this clay to soak up oil and dirt from the cloth, so the name now means 'a fine, absorbent clay used to soak up grease and clean things'.