- peat
- peat c.1200, in Scottish-L., probably from O.Celt. root *pett- (Cf. Cornish peyth, Welsh peth "quantity, part, thing," O.Ir. pet, Breton pez "piece"). The earliest sense is not of the turf but of the cut piece of it.
Etymology dictionary. 2014.
peat
Look at other dictionaries:
Peat — is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. Peat forms in wetlands or peatlands , variously called bogs , moors , muskegs , pocosins , mires , and peat swamp forests . By volume there is about 4 trillion m³ of peat in the world… … Wikipedia
Peat — Peat, n. [Prob. for beat, prop., material used to make the fire burn better, fr. AS. b?tan to better, mend (a fire), b?t advantage. See {Better}, {Boot} advantage.] A substance of vegetable origin, consisting of roots and fibers, moss, etc., in… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
peat — peat; peat·ery; peat·man; re·peat·abil·i·ty; re·peat·able; re·peat·er; re·peat; re·peat·ed·ly; … English syllables
Peat — Peat consists of partially decomposed plant debris. It is considered an early stage in the development of coal. Peat is distinguished from lignite by the presence of free cellulose and a high moisture content (exceeding 70 percent). The heat… … Energy terms
peat|y — «PEE tee», adjective, peat|i|er, peat|i|est. of, like, or abounding in peat: »A thin seam of peaty matter…along the bottom of a bed of clay (James Croll) … Useful english dictionary
Peat — Peat, n. [Cf. {Pet} a fondling.] A small person; a pet; sometimes used contemptuously. [Obs.] Shak. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
peat|er|y — «PEE tuhr ee», noun, plural er|ies. a place from which peat is dug … Useful english dictionary
peat — [pi:t] n [Date: 1300 1400; : Medieval Latin; Origin: peta, probably from a Celtic language] [U] a black substance formed from decaying plants under the surface of the ground in some areas, which can be burned as a ↑fuel, or mixed with soil to… … Dictionary of contemporary English
peat — [ pit ] noun uncount a type of soil consisting of decaying plants that can also be used as fuel … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
peat — ► NOUN ▪ partly decomposed vegetable matter forming a deposit on acidic, boggy ground, dried for use in gardening and as fuel. DERIVATIVES peaty adjective. ORIGIN Anglo Latin peta … English terms dictionary
