Explanation: Laterite has been derived from the Latin word ‘Later’ which means brick.

• The laterite soils develop in areas with high temperature and high rainfall.
• These are the result of intense leaching due to tropical rains.
• With rain, lime and silica are leached away, and soils rich in iron oxide and aluminum compound are left behind.
• Red laterite soils in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala are more suitable for tree crops like cashewnut.

Source: NCERT