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mulch

(mŭlch)

A protective covering, as of bark chips, straw, or plastic sheeting, placed on the ground around plants to suppress weed growth, retain soil moisture, or prevent freezing of roots.

tr.v. mulched, mulch·ing, mulch·es

To cover or surround with mulch.

[Probably from Middle English molsh, soft, moist (used of soil); akin to Dutch mals, soft, mellow, from Middle Dutch malsch; see mel-¹ in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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