manure

1 of 2

verb

ma·​nure mə-ˈnu̇r 

-ˈnyu̇r,

-ˈn(y)ü-ər

manured; manuring

transitive verb

1

obsolete : cultivate

2

: to enrich (land) by the application of manure

manurer noun

manure

2 of 2

noun

: material that fertilizes land

especially : refuse of stables and barnyards consisting of livestock excreta with or without litter

manurial

mə-ˈn(y)u̇r-ē-əl 

adjective

Examples of manure in a Sentence

Noun

a bag of cow manure

fertilizers made from animal manures

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Bailey and other Nelsonville residents were profiled in a Wausau Daily Herald story in 2020 about their fears that manure from a CAFO about a mile from the small Portage County community was leaching nitrogen into their groundwater. —Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024

Is manure the future of fuel? —Maria Jimenez Moya, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2022

Noun

Cage-free production also introduces additional variability and risk into the production system, including more intensive disease, manure, and better ventilation. —Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 18 Dec. 2024

When Hurricane Florence struck eastern North Carolina in 2018, the flooding caused dozens of manure lagoons to overflow or breach entirely and flood fecal soup into homes and neighborhoods, according to Food and Water Watch. —Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English manouren, from Anglo-French mainouverer, meinourer to till (land), construct, create, from Medieval Latin manu operare to perform manual labor, from Latin manu by hand + operari to work — more at operate

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1532, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing manure

• green manure

Kids Definition

manure

1 of 2 verb

ma·​nure mə-ˈn(y)u̇(ə)r 

manured; manuring

: to enrich by applying manure

manure a field

manure

2 of 2 noun

: material that fertilizes land

especially : bodily waste from birds and animals in stables and barnyards with or without litter