The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word EARTH
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
E
A
R
T
H
More clues leading to the result EARTH
- This world famine needs heading off
- Top symbol of home ground
- Roof off cosy place, our home
- Planet needing change of heart
- What keeps drawing animal home
- Soil shortage initially ignored
- Move first to last in middle ground
- Fear that envelops this planet
- Skill required to load what? Massive revolver
- Craft appearing in what is our home
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Dirt from home initially removed (5)/Dirt" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case dirt from home initially removed (5)/dirt = earth.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does EARTH mean?
EARTH proper noun- The third planet of the Solar System; the world upon which humans live.
- The personification of the Earth or earth, as a fertile woman or goddess.
- Soil.
- Any general rock-based material.
- The ground, land (as opposed to the sky or sea).
- A connection electrically to the earth ((US) ground); on equipment: a terminal connected in that manner.
- The lair (as a hole on the ground) of an animal such as fox.
- A region of the planet; a land or country.
- Worldly things, as against spiritual ones.
- The world of our current life (as opposed to heaven or an afterlife).
- The people on the globe.
- The human body.
- The aforementioned soil- or rock-based material, considered one of the four or five classical elements.
- Any of certain substances now known to be oxides of metal, which were distinguished by being infusible, and by insolubility in water.
- To connect electrically to the earth.
- To bury.
- To burrow.