Eli5: what exactly is clay? How is it different from regular dirt or loam?

Question

Eli5: what exactly is clay? How is it different from regular dirt or loam?

In: 16

Answer 1

Americans have weird definitions. In ordinary English, dirt has nothing to do with soil or clay. Dirt can be litter, rubbish, stains etc. Ie something that is dirty. We call what Americans refer to as dirt, Earth.