noun / verb
compost
KAHM-pohst/ˈkɑːmpəʊst/
Decayed organic matter used to enrich soil, or making it from organic waste.
Dark, crumbly compost lies beside partially decomposed leaves in the wooden bin.
Etymology
“Putting together” gave a word for a mixture, including leaves and manure used on land. That mixture sense underlies today's decayed organic material used to enrich soil.
In context
in fixing some of your soil problems and often the fix is an organic matter like compost because when you have that very small clay particle and you put some compost in it
More examples
- She composts vegetable scraps in a bin behind the house.
- Add a layer of compost around the tomato plants.
- The fallen leaves are composted instead of sent to a landfill.
Forms
compost · composts · composted · composting
composter noun — A container used to turn waste into compost.
compostable adjective — Able to break down into usable compost.
Similar words
- fertilizer
- Supplies plant nutrients but need not contain decayed organic matter.
- humus
- Stable decomposed organic matter in soil, rather than a prepared amendment.