peat moss

noun

1

: sphagnum moss that has become compacted with other plant debris to form peat (see peat entry 1 sense 1a)

When harvested from the bog, peat moss dries out quickly and is turned into amendments meant to improve drainage and retain moisture in soils.

—Kim Pokorny

The area was so full of peat moss, the construction crew had to dig down three metres to find solid footing for bridge abutments.

—Elise Stolte

2

: dried and processed peat used especially as a soil amendment (see amendment sense 3)

Many commercial potting soil contains peat moss, commonly sourced from bogs in Canada, which are exceptional carbon sinks.

—Paige Curtis

Examples of peat moss in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Scrub the crust off the pot, then replant into fresh potting mix (not planting mix, dirt, peat moss, etc.). —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025

Coconut coir, on the other hand, is made up of fibers extracted from coconut husks, a quick-growing resource from tropical countries, and is also less expensive than peat moss. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 June 2025

Nun’s orchids can also grow in the ground when the planting site is greatly improved with organic matter such as compost, peat moss and manure. —Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2025

Sometimes, gardeners will then take this a bit further and omit local soil from planting holes altogether, only filling with peat moss. —Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 16 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for peat moss

• across
• backcross
• crisscross
• lacrosse
• recross
• tomas
• albatross
• applesauce
• barabbas
• helios
• kshatriyas
• blas

Kids Definition

peat moss

noun

: sphagnum