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karst

American  
[kahrst] / kɑrst /

noun

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


karst British  
/ kɑːst /

noun

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

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of karst

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

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.

See Examples For:

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

Pristine rivers and the soaring karst peaks of Guilin and Yangshuo in the north draw more than a million Chinese tourists each year.

From BBC Nov. 22, 2024

Deciduous and evergreen forests dominate the limestone karst formations of the northwestern highlands of Thailand.

From Science Daily Feb. 6, 2024

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

True mixed woods, sometimes referred to as karst woods, occur at medium elevations.

From Area Handbook for Albania by Sarah Jane Elpern

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