Mergel
/ˈmɜːrɡəl/noun
A clay-rich earth containing calcium carbonate, essentially a type of marl.
Did you know?Mergel belongs to the same old earth-material vocabulary as marl, substances historically valued for transforming poor soil into fertile ground.
Etymological Timeline
Latin, Late Antiquity
Latin
margila
“Marl or clayey calcareous earth”
Old French, Medieval
Old French
mergle
“Marl; earth containing lime”
Middle English, 14th Century
Middle English
mergel
“Marl or fertile calcareous soil”
Early Modern English
English
mergel
“A clay-and-lime earth used to improve soil”
Modern English
English
mergel
“A rare word for marl or calcareous clay”