sastruga

American  

[sas-truh-guh, sah-struh-, sa-stroo-, sah-] / ˈsæs trə gə, ˈsɑ strə-, sæˈstru-, sɑ- /

noun

plural

sastrugi

1. Usually sastrugi. ridges of snow formed on a snowfield by the action of the wind.

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sastruga British  

/ səˈstruːɡə, sæ- /

noun

1. one of a series of ridges on snow-covered plains, caused by the action of wind laden with ice particles

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Etymology

Origin of sastruga

1830–40; < German < dialectal Russian zastrúga, noun derivative of zastrugátʾ, zastrogátʾ to plane, shave down (wood), equivalent to za- perfective v. prefix + strugátʾ, strogátʾ to plane, smooth (wood)

Example Sentences

Each of us took it in turn to run ahead, jumping from one sastruga to another.

From Project Gutenberg

In the worst fogs at home one can at any rate see something of the ground on which one is treading; in Adelie Land, even when the air was clear of snow, it was easy to bump against a four-foot sastruga without seeing it.

From Project Gutenberg

In an individual case the windward end of a sastruga might be completely undercut for six or nine inches, leaving a hard crust, sometimes only one-eighth of an inch in thickness and a couple of inches wide.

From Project Gutenberg

The sledge, for instance, balances itself on the top of a sastruga for a moment, with an ominous bend in the runners, crashes down the slope and jams its bow into the next one, from which it has to be lifted clear.

From Project Gutenberg

A fine example of a typical old sastruga was passed on the way.

From Project Gutenberg