loam

views updated May 11 2018

loam / lōm/ • n. a fertile soil of clay and sand containing humus. ∎ Geol. a soil with roughly equal proportions of sand, silt, and clay. ∎  a paste of clay and water with sand, chopped straw, etc., used in making bricks and plastering walls.DERIVATIVES: loam·i·ness n. loamy adj.

loam

views updated May 21 2018

loam A class of soil texture that is composed of sand, silt, and clay, which produces a physical property intermediate between the extremes of the three components. It is an easily worked soil, much prized by farmers.

loam

views updated Jun 08 2018

loam A class of soil texture that is composed of sand, silt, and clay, which produces a physical property intermediate between the extremes of the 3 components. It is an easily worked soil, much prized by farmers.

loam

views updated May 08 2018

loam Class of soil texture composed of sand, silt, and clay, which produces a physical property intermediate between the extremes of the three components.

loam

views updated May 23 2018

loam †clay, earth OE.; clay moistened to form a paste XV; fertile soil mixture XVII. OE. lām = (M)Du. leem, MLG. lēm, rel. to OHG. leimo (G. dial. leimen) :- WGmc. *laimaz, *laiman-, f. *lai-, *lǐ- be sticky (see LIME1).

loam

views updated May 21 2018

loam A fertile soil that is made up of organic matter mixed with clay, sand, and silt. Loams differ in their ratios of clay, sand, and silt, which influences which types of plants they can support.