karst

American  

[kahrst] / kɑrst /

noun

Geology.

1. an area of limestone terrane characterized by sinks, ravines, and underground streams.

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karst British  

/ kɑːst /

noun

1. (modifier) denoting the characteristic scenery of a limestone region, including underground streams, gorges, etc

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Other Word Forms

• karstic adjective

Etymology

Origin of karst

1900–05; < German, generic use of Karst, name of limestone plateau north of Trieste

Example Sentences

The surrounding landscape is made of karst, a type of sharp limestone terrain that lacks stable soil.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

Until this latest discovery on Muna, all the paintings in Sulawesi had come from the Maros Pangkep karst in the island's south west.

From BBC • Jan. 21, 2026

The former are “good” sinkholes: “About 700 million people worldwide depend on karst aquifers as their sole or primary source of water, including many millions in the USA,” Veni says.

From Slate • Oct. 17, 2025

The karst lands are so embedded in our cultural sense of place, we’ve got our own map of chthonic legends.

From Salon • Oct. 7, 2023

The burning limestone karst had been too much for the men from the plains, and they broke down badly.

From Twenty Years Of Balkan Tangle by Durham, M. E. (Mary Edith)