yardang

American  

[yahr-dahng] / ˈyɑr dɑŋ /

noun

Geology.

1. a keel-shaped crest or ridge of rock, formed by the action of the wind, usually parallel to the prevailing wind direction.

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Etymology

Origin of yardang

First recorded in 1900–05; earlier jardang, from Turkic yardang “steep cliff,” a term introduced by Swedish geographer Sven Hedin ( def. ) (1865–1952)

Example Sentences

Bard cautioned, however, that although she has seen yardangs at the Dakhla Oasis in Egypt's Western Desert, she has never seen a yardang that looks like the one the team produced in their study.

From Scientific American • Nov. 11, 2023