residual soil
- noun
- Specialized
:
suelo residual
- The hills in this region are covered mainly with residual soil formed by the weathering of granite.
Examples
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Engineers analyze the properties of residual soil before constructing buildings on such terrain.
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Unlike residual soil, transported soil is carried by wind, water, or ice to a new location.
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The residual soil in this area is quite fertile.
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Many farmers prefer to use residual soils for planting.
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Engineers analyze the properties of residual soil before constructing buildings on such terrain.
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The hills in this region are covered mainly with residual soil formed by the weathering of granite.
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The residual soil in this area is quite fertile.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'residual' = remaining and 'soil' = earth, so a learner who knows both words can infer 'soil that remains/left in place.' Although the term is technical in geology, the modifier+noun pattern is standard and cross-linguistically transparent, making the sense predictable to a B1 learner who knows the constituents.
Etymology
The noun residual soil gives a clear picture: residual means 'left behind' and soil is the earth, so it is the ground that stays where the rock breaks down instead of being washed or carried away. That's why residual soil means soil formed 'in place' from the rock below, not soil moved from somewhere else.
