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Glite Dictionary
soil-building

soil-building

5.6
Plants grown to improve the soil and make it richer
  • adjective
  • /ˈsɔɪlˌbɪldɪŋ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : que mejora el suelo
  • Because of their role in soil-building, many farmers use crops that enhance soil quality.

Examples

  • Cover the surface with an overwintering, soil-building cover crop like annual rye, winter rye, or buckwheat.

  • Because of their role in soil-building, Berry says worms are "a natural" for research by the National Soil Tilth Laboratory in Ames, where he works.

    Academic text (1995)

  • Photo (black and white): In a California nut orchard, a brush shredder is used to generate soil-building mulch from residues that formerly had been burned.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Planting soil-building crops like clover can significantly improve soil fertility.

Surface Forms

soil-building positive

Morphology

soil-building = soil + building (transparent) = soil + building

A straightforward compound of 'soil' + 'building' meaning 'building soil' (improving soil), which an average B1 learner can derive from the parts.

Etymology

Soil-building combines soil ('earth' or 'ground') and building ('making stronger' or 'improving'), so it is easy to imagine 'building' the ground like you would build a house; these crops are grown to add nutrients and make the soil healthier, which is why they are called soil-building.