earthy

From Middle English erthy, equivalent to earth +‎ -y. Compare German erdig (“earthy”), Swedish jordig (“earthy”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɜː.θi/

• Audio (Southern England):

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• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɝθi/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)θi
• Hyphenation: earthy

earthy (comparative earthier, superlative earthiest)

1. Resembling dirt or soil (i.e. earth).

   The earthy smell of fresh turned loam told me the farmer had started plowing this morning, the definitive sign of spring for me.

2. Down-to-earth, not artificial, natural.

   She was an earthy soul, the salt of the earth as they say of such rural folk, untarnished by false civilization.

   • 1673, John Milton, “Sonnet XIV”, in Poems, &c. upon Several Occasions, London: […] Tho[mas] Dring […], →OCLC, page 58:

     Meekly thou didſt reſign this earthy load / Of Death, call'd Life;

3. (figurative) Coarse and unrefined, crude.

   earthy humour

4. Like or resembling the earth or of the earth.
5. Covered with earth (mud, dirt).
   • 1921 June, Margery Williams, “The Velveteen Rabbit: Or How Toys Become Real”, in Harper’s Bazar, volume LVI, number 6 (2504 overall), New York, N.Y.: International Magazine Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:

     He was wet through with the dew and quite earthy from diving into the burrows the Boy had made for him in the flower bed, and Nana grumbled as she rubbed him off with a corner of her apron.

• terreous (obsolete)

• earthily
• earthiness

• earthish, Earthish
• earthly
• salt of the earth

• Hayter, Thayer, aethyr, hearty, heyrat, yearth