Soil is a complex amalgum that, of necessity, has been defined from a variety of perspectives.  It has been defined as: the unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the Earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants; the unconsolidated mineral or organic matter on the surface of the Earth that has been subjected to and shows effects of such genetic and environmental factors as climate (including water and temperature effects), and macro- and microorganisms—conditioned by relief—acting on parent material over a period of time.  A product-soil differs from the material from which it is derived in many physical, chemical, biological, and morphological properties and characteristics.

Additionally, soil has been defined as a natural body comprised of solids (minerals and organic matter), liquid, and gases that occurs on the land surface, occupies space, and is characterized by one or both of the following: horizons, or layers, that are distinguishable from the initial material as a result of additions, losses, transfers, and transformations of energy and matter; or the ability to support rooted plants in a natural environment.

Also, the upper limit of soil is the boundary between soil and air, shallow water, live plants, or plant materials that have not begun to decompose. Areas are not considered to have soil if the surface is permanently covered by water too deep (typically more than 2.5 meters) for the growth of rooted plants.

The lower boundary that separates soil from the nonsoil underneath is most difficult to define. Soil consists of horizons near the Earth's surface that, in contrast to the underlying parent material, have been altered by the interactions of climate, relief, and living organisms over time. Commonly, soil grades at its lower boundary to hard rock or to earthy materials virtually devoid of animals, roots, or other marks of biological activity. For purposes of classification, the lower boundary of soil is arbitrarily set at 200 cm.