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arête

[ uh-reyt ]
/ əˈreɪt /

noun Physical Geography, Geology.

a sharp rugged mountain ridge, produced by glaciation.

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Arete: Visual Word Of The DayRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
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Arete: Visual Word of the DayRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
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Nearby words

  1. arytenoid cartilage,
  2. arytenoid muscle,
  3. arytenoidectomy,
  4. arytenoiditis,
  5. arytenoidopexy,
  6. as,
  7. as . . . as,
  8. as a matter of course,
  9. as a matter of fact,
  10. as a rule

Origin of arête

1860–65; < French; Old French areste sharp ridge < Latin arista awn, ear of wheat
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for arête

arête

/ (əˈreɪt, əˈrɛt) /

noun

a sharp ridge separating two cirques or glacial valleys in mountainous regions

Word Origin for arête

C19: from French: fishbone, backbone (of a fish), ridge, sharp edge, from Latin arista ear of corn, fishbone
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for arête
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Science definitions for arête

arête

[ ə-rāt′ ]

A sharp, narrow ridge or spur commonly found above the snow line in mountainous areas that have been sculpted by glaciers. Arêtes form as the result of the continued backward erosion of adjoining cirques.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.