ArĂȘte
/ÉËrÉt/noun
A sharp, narrow ridge of rock, especially on a mountain or glacier.
Did you know?In modern French, arĂȘte still means both a mountain ridge and a fishbone, preserving the ancient image of something sharp, projecting, and skeletal.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
arista
âThe bristle or beard of a grain; a sharp point or ridge; a fishbone.â
Late Latin
Latin
arista
âA projecting point or sharp, bristling structure.â
Old French
Old French
areste
âA sharp ridge, edge, or fishbone.â
16th Century
French
arĂȘte
âA fishbone or sharp ridge.â
18th Century
English
arete
âA sharp mountain ridge, borrowed from French.â
Modern English
English
arĂȘte
âA narrow, knife-edged mountain ridge, especially between glacial valleys.â