Meanings
plural mulches · alternative obsolete mulsh
- countableuncountableagricultureAny material used to cover the top layer of soil to protect, insulate, or decorate it, or to discourage weeds or retain moisture.
An organic mulch is a mulch made of natural substances such as leaves or grass clippings.
1 more example
An interim report by investigators from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch found extensive evidence of crushed leaf mulch on the railhead at many sites on the approach to Salisbury Tunnel Junction.
2022 March 9, Paul Clifton, “Network News: Salisbury crash: slippery rails caused by autumn leaves”, in RAIL, number 952, page 12
present singular third person mulches · participle present mulching · participle past mulched · past mulched · alternative obsolete mulsh
- agricultureTo apply mulch.
Mulch your vegetable garden to retain moisture and keep weeds down.
- agricultureTo turn into mulch.
I decided to mulch the grass clippings.
Origin
- Proto-Germanic*mili“honey”
- Old Englishmelsċ
- Middle Englishmelsche
- Englishmulch
Probably from Middle English melsche, molsh (“soft”), from Old English melsċ, milisċ (“mellow; mild; sweet”, literally “honeyed”), probably from Proto-Germanic *mili (“honey”). Compare Icelandic milska (“a honeyed beverage”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan encoixinat, jaç protector
- encoixinatshredded matter for covering the soil
- jaç protectorshredded matter for covering the soil
- coberta del conreushredded matter for covering the soil
Chinese Mandarin 覆蓋物 /覆盖物
- 覆蓋物 /覆盖物 (fùgàiwù)shredded matter for covering the soil
Czech mulčovat
- mulčovatapply mulch
Dutch mulch, bodembedekking
- mulchshredded matter for covering the soil
- bodembedekkingshredded matter for covering the soil
- mulchenapply mulch
Esperanto mulĉo
- mulĉoshredded matter for covering the soil
Estonian multš
- multšshredded matter for covering the soil
Finnish lehtikate, peittää lehtikatteella
- lehtikateshredded matter for covering the soil
- peittää lehtikatteellaapply mulch
- tehdä lehtikatettaturn into mulch
French paillis, paillage
- paillisshredded matter for covering the soil
- paillageshredded matter for covering the soil
- paillerapply mulch
German Mulch, mulchen
- Mulchshredded matter for covering the soil
- mulchenapply mulch
Hungarian mulcs, talajtakarás
- mulcsshredded matter for covering the soil
- talajtakarásshredded matter for covering the soil
Irish móta
- mótashredded matter for covering the soil
Italian pacciame, pacciamare
- pacciameshredded matter for covering the soil
- pacciamareapply mulch
Polish mulcz, mulczować
- mulczshredded matter for covering the soil
- mulczowaćapply mulch
- zmulczowaćapply mulch
Portuguese manta, humo
- mantashredded matter for covering the soil
- humoshredded matter for covering the soil
Russian му́льча, мульчи́ровать
- му́льча (múlʹča)shredded matter for covering the soil
- мульчи́ровать (mulʹčírovatʹ)apply mulch
Slovak mulčovať
- mulčovaťapply mulch
Spanish mantillo, aserrín
- mantilloshredded matter for covering the soil
- aserrínshredded matter for covering the soil
- cubrir con capoteapply mulch
- cubrir con manitlloapply mulch
- abonarapply mulch
Swedish komposttäckning, täckmedel
- komposttäckningshredded matter for covering the soil
- täckmedelshredded matter for covering the soil
- täckaapply mulch
Turkish malç
- malçshredded matter for covering the soil
Ukrainian мульча
- мульча (mulʹča)shredded matter for covering the soil
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with mulch
All rhymes →Cite this entry
mulch. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mulch
“mulch.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mulch. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mulch,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mulch.
Source: mulch on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.