What does turfy mean?
Turfy is an adjective that most directly means covered with turf or grass, so it is often used to characterize ground, banks, paths, and other outdoor surfaces. Its second sense is descriptive rather than literal: something can be turfy if it has turf's dense, earthy texture, color, or characteristic smell. The word therefore does more than report that vegetation is present; it evokes the close physical impression of sod, grass, and damp earth. In literary and descriptive writing, turfy can be especially effective for building a landscape or a sensory atmosphere. It sounds somewhat old-fashioned or poetic compared with the plainer grassy, though it is fully established in British and American English. A typical sentence might describe a path crossing “turfy ground,” while a critic might call a scent “sharp and turfy.” Because the word can indicate either actual grass cover or a resemblance to turf, readers should interpret it in context. Overall, turfy is a useful, evocative term for language about landscapes and their tangible, earthy qualities.
adjectiveCovered with turf or grass; grassy. Also, having the appearance, texture, or earthy character of turf.
- Covered with turf or grass.
- Having the appearance, texture, color, or earthy smell of turf.
"Beyond the wall, the path gave way to turfy ground sloping toward the river."
"Beyond the wall, the path gave way to turfy ground sloping toward the river."
"A sharp, turfy scent rose from the damp meadow after the rain."
Turfy does double duty: it can paint a scene green with grass or give an odor the earthy character of turf.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of turfy
Turfy was formed in English by adding the adjectival suffix -y to turf, with the word belonging to early modern English. Turf itself comes from Old English turf, a Germanic word for sod or earth, and has close cognates in Dutch turf and German Torf. The English -y form came to mean not only covered with turf but also resembling turf in appearance or character.
Related word forms
How turfy is actually used
Primarily literary and descriptive, especially in accounts of landscape, texture, and smell. It is more evocative and somewhat old-fashioned than the plainer word grassy.
Easily confused with turfy
Turf is the noun for grass or sod, especially a piece of ground covered with grass, whereas turfy is the adjective describing something covered with or resembling turf.