DictionarycobBuilding material
noun

cob

A mixture of earth and straw used for building walls.

The builders shape wet cob into thick, sturdy walls.

Etymology

Cob has an older sense of a lump or compact mass. The building material takes that name from the earth mixture worked and placed in masses to form walls.

More examples

  • We mix earth, straw, and water to make cob.
  • The cottage has stone foundations and walls made of cob.
  • She fills the crack with fresh cob.

Similar words

adobe
Usually formed into sun-dried bricks rather than shaped directly into walls.