marl

¹

[ mahrl ]

noun

1. Geology. a friable earthy deposit consisting of clay and calcium carbonate, used especially as a fertilizer for soils deficient in lime.
2. Archaic. earth.

verb (used with object)

1. to fertilize with marl.

marl

²

[ mahrl ]

verb (used with object)

, Nautical.

1. to wind (a rope) with marline, every turn being secured by a hitch.

marl

¹

/ mɑːˈleɪʃəs; mɑːl /

noun

1. a fine-grained sedimentary rock consisting of clay minerals, calcite or aragonite, and silt: used as a fertilizer

verb

1. tr to fertilize (land) with marl

marl

²

/ mɑːl /

verb

1. nautical to seize (a rope) with marline, using a hitch at each turn

marl

/ märl /

1. A crumbly mixture of clays, calcium and magnesium carbonates, and remnants of shells that forms in both freshwater and marine environments.

Derived Forms

• marlacious, adjective

Other Words From

• mar·la·cious [mahr-, ley, -sh, uh, s], marly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of marl¹

1325–75; Middle English marle < Middle Dutch < Old French < Medieval Latin margila, diminutive of Latin marga, said to be < Gaulish

Origin of marl²

1400–50; late Middle English marlyn to ensnare; akin to Old English mārels cable. See moor ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of marl¹

C14: via Old French, from Late Latin margila, diminutive of Latin marga

Origin of marl²

C15 marlyn to bind; related to Dutch marlen to tie, Old English mārels cable

Example Sentences

So many fit the man-child: “light of brain,” “clod of wayward marl,” “bolting-hutch of beastliness,” but specifically to his inability to speak the truth there’s the perfect “infinite and endless liar, an hourly promise-breaker.”

From Salon

The marl cliffs, which attract thousands of tourists every year, were defaced sometime overnight on Friday.

From BBC

It shares the same Kimmeridgian marl soils as its glorified neighbor and produces some top-notch sauvignon blanc.

From Washington Post

The coat is available in only one color – grey marl.

From Fox News

Since 2017, crews have been abseiling down marl and limestone cliffs and using drones to map hundreds of caves and hollows.

From Reuters

Related Words

• clay
• coast
• dirt
• dust
• gravel
• land
• mud
• sand
• shore
• surface
• terrain
• turf