Moraine
/məˈreɪn/noun
A ridge or mound of debris deposited by a glacier.
Did you know?Moraine comes from a Savoyard French word for a heap of glacial debris, and the term entered English through Alpine science, not ancient myth — but the landscape it names still feels almost supernatural.
Etymological Timeline
Late 18th Century
French
moraine
“A heap or ridge of rock and earth deposited by a glacier”
Savoyard French
French
morena
“A mound or heap of earth and stones”
Pre-Romance / regional substrate
Unknown
morena
“Likely a local term for a heap or embankment; exact origin uncertain”
Modern English
English
moraine
“A ridge or mound of glacial debris”