nunatak

[ nuhn-uh-tak ]

noun

1. a hill or mountain that has been completely encircled by a glacier.

nunatak

/ ˈnʌnəˌtæk /

noun

1. an isolated mountain peak projecting through the surface of surrounding glacial ice and supporting a distinct fauna and flora after recession of the ice

Word History and Origins

Origin of nunatak¹

1875–80; < Inuit (West Greenlandic) nunataq

Word History and Origins

Origin of nunatak¹

C19: via Danish from Inuktitut

Example Sentences

While we were there, I decided to go and look in this moraine close to the nunatak to see if I could find any micrometeorites.

From Quanta Magazine

I was on the Antarctic Search for Meteorites expedition and we were due to search this nunatak for meteorites.

From Quanta Magazine

To the north-west, behind us, a projecting ridge of rock—Madigan Nunatak—came into sight.

From Project Gutenberg

To increase my excitement Madigan Nunatak came into view for a time in the clear, evening light.

From Project Gutenberg

A small nunatak slanted like a steel-blue shadow on the side of a white peak to the south-west.

From Project Gutenberg

Delayed by these and by unfavourable weather, they did not reach Madigan Nunatak until the evening of November 20.

From Project Gutenberg

On November 21 the party commenced the return journey, moving directly towards Madigan Nunatak to the south-west.

From Project Gutenberg