Esker

//ˈɛskɚ// name, noun

name, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A long, narrow, sinuous ridge created by deposits from a stream running beneath a glacier.

    "Another unusual ice-contact feature is an esker, a long, narrow, steep-sided ridge of glaciofluvial sand and gravel inhabiting a glaciated area. Eskers tend to follow valleys and lowlands, carefully picking a course between obstacles."

  2. 2
    (geology) a long winding ridge of post glacial gravel and other sediment; deposited by meltwater from glaciers or ice sheets wordnet
Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname from German.

Synonyms

All synonyms
horsebackasarchinecolhorsebackos

Example

More examples

"Another unusual ice-contact feature is an esker, a long, narrow, steep-sided ridge of glaciofluvial sand and gravel inhabiting a glaciated area. Eskers tend to follow valleys and lowlands, carefully picking a course between obstacles."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Irish eiscir (“esker, glacial ridge”).

Etymology 2

Borrowed from German Esker.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.