Whisper / Video / 2010

soil /sɔɪl/

NOUN

1. the earth’s top layer, the land surface where plants grow and  which is composed of disintegrated rock particles, humus, water, and air
2. a type of this material having specific characteristics: loamy soil
3. land, country, or region: one’s native soil
4. the soil, life and work on a farm; land: he belonged to the soil, as his forefathers had
5. any place or thing encouraging growth or development

Etymology: 14^th Century: from Anglo-Norman, from Latin solium a seat, but confused with Latin solum the ground.