loess Hear it!

loess definition

lo·ess (lō′es′; also les, lus)

noun

a fine-grained, yellowish-brown, extremely fertile loam deposited mainly by the wind and found widely in North America, Asia, and Europe

Etymology: Ger löss, arbitrary use of dial. lösch, loose < base of lösen, to loosen: for IE base see lose

Related Forms:

  • loessial lo·ess′·ial (lō es′ē əl) adjective

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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