Marl
/mษหrl/noun
A loose earthy deposit of clay and calcium carbonate, used to improve soil.
Did you know?The word entered English through Old French and ultimately comes from a pre-Latin source, so its deepest origin is ancient enough that linguists can only trace its shadow, not the exact spell.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Latin
Unknown
*marga
โA chalky, clayey earth used to enrich soilโ
Old French
OF
marle
โMarl; a clay-rich earthโ
Middle English
ME
marl
โMarl, used as manure or soil amendmentโ
Modern English
English
marl
โA mixture of clay and calcium carbonate used to condition soilโ