chernozem

(c̸her′nə zem′, -zyôm′)

noun

a black topsoil, rich in humus and lime, found in grasslands of central European Russia

Origin: Russ < chernyi, black + zemlya, earth: for IE base see homage

See chernozem in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A very black topsoil, rich in humus, typical of cool to temperate semiarid regions, such as the grasslands of European Russia.

Origin:

Origin: Russian chernozëm

Origin: : chërnyĭ, black

Origin: + Old Russian zemĭ, earth; see dhghem- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

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