Nearby words
firmamental, firman, firmer chisel, firmer gouge, firmware, firn, firn line, firnification, firozabad, firry, first
Origin of firn
1850–55; < German (Swiss), noun use of firn last year's, old; cognate with Old English fyrn former, ancient, Gothic fairneis; akin to Old Norse forn ancient. See before
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for firn
Firn, firn, or fern, n. snow on high glaciers while still granular—the French nv.
British Dictionary definitions for firn
Word Origin for firn
C19: from German (Swiss dialect) firn of the previous year, from Old High German firni old
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Science definitions for firn
firn
[ fîrn ]
Granular, partially consolidated snow that has passed through one summer melt season but is not yet glacial ice. Firn becomes glacial ice once it has become impermeable to liquid water.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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