manure
UK: məˈnjʊə | US: məˈnʊr
n. animal dung or other organic material used to fertilize soil
vt. to apply manure to land to improve fertility
The word "manure" originates from the Old French manouvrer (to work with the hands), derived from Latin manu operari (to work by hand). Over time, its meaning narrowed from general manual labor to specifically handling or spreading dung as fertilizer—a task historically done by hand in agriculture. The morpheme man reflects the manual aspect, while ure denotes the action or result.
Farmers spread manure to enrich the soil before planting crops.
The garden smelled strongly of fresh manure after the rain.
Organic farming relies heavily on composted manure.
He carefully manured the fields to ensure a good harvest.
The use of manure reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.