loess

[ loh-es, les, luhs ]

noun

1. a loamy deposit formed by wind, usually yellowish and calcareous, common in the Mississippi Valley and in Europe and Asia.

loess

/ ˈləʊɪs; lœs; ləʊˈɛsɪəl /

noun

1. a light-coloured fine-grained accumulation of clay and silt particles that have been deposited by the wind

loess

/ lō′əs,lĕs,lŭs /

1. A very fine grained silt or clay, thought to have formed as the result of grinding by glaciers and to have been deposited by the wind. Most loess is believed to have originated during the Pleistocene Epoch from areas of land covered by glaciers and from desert surfaces.

Derived Forms

• loessial, adjective

Other Words From

• lo·essi·al lo·essal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of loess¹

1825–35; < German Löss < Swiss German lösch loose, slack ( sch taken as a dial. equivalent of German s ), akin to German lose loose

Word History and Origins

Origin of loess¹

C19: from German Löss, from Swiss German dialect lösch loose

Example Sentences

The capital also used to be known for regular springtime dust and sandstorms caused by winds blowing in from the loess hills along the upper sections of the Yellow River to the west.

From Seattle Times

The caves carved from the loess hills where Mao Zedong and other party leaders road out World War II have since become a pilgrimage site for party faithful.

From Seattle Times

Eastern Colorado soils are 70% windblown loess, but cultivation, grazing, construction, and roads — anything that destabilizes the soil — can generate dust, says Kelly.

From Salon

This entry-level bottle is from vines grown on loess and loam on gentle slopes.

From New York Times

Subsurface pressure and temperature effects cause changes in the composition and properties of rocks, and from these we reap flint, chert, loess, kaolin, granite and clay.

From Nature

Related Words

• dirt
• earth
• grime
• lint
• powder
• sand
• soil
• soot