dune
Americannoun
noun
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A hill or ridge of wind-blown sand. Dunes are capable of moving by the motion of their individual grains but usually keep the same shape.
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See more at barchan dune draa longitudinal dune seif dune transverse dune
Etymology
Origin of dune
1780–90; < French, Old French < Middle Dutch dūna; cognate with down 3
Explanation
A dune is a natural hill made of sand, either on a beach or in a desert. It's a good idea to bring plenty of water and a camel if you're trekking across sand dunes in the Sahara. Sometimes people drive special vehicles on the dunes beside the ocean — these are sometimes called "dune buggies." These seaside dunes are formed by a combination of wind and water, while the dunes in a desert are purely the result of wind. The origin of the word dune is somewhat uncertain, although it probably comes from a French word with an older Germanic root.
Vocabulary lists containing dune
Physical Geography - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To the south lie the Bureau of Land Management’s Imperial Sand Dunes, where dune buggies and motorcycles trace arcs across bare slopes.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026
Emojis, Disney characters, cigarettes and more pile up in humorous scenes that include a saber-toothed tiger driving a dune buggy and a pair of corvids fighting over a worm.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
The council also urged people to stay well clear of the dune face and take heed of warning signs in the area.
From BBC • Jan. 8, 2026
In one case, human footprints appear alongside deer tracks created at the same time, supporting the idea of pursuit or ambush activity within the dune environment.
From Science Daily • Nov. 13, 2025
But out here in Saint-Malo, the dune grass grows long and blue; German sailors still run drills in the harbor; gunners still stockpile ammunition in the tunnels beneath the fort at La Cite.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
