ripple mark

noun

, Geology.

1. one of the wavy lines or ridges produced, especially on sand, by the action of waves, wind, or the like.
2. one of such forms preserved in sandstone or siltstone.

ripple mark

noun

1. one of a series of small wavy ridges of sand formed by waves on a beach, by a current in a sandy riverbed, or by wind on land: sometimes found fossilized on bedding planes of sedimentary rock

Word History and Origins

Origin of ripple mark¹

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

What is known as the "ripple-mark" in sandstone surfaces may be produced in various ways.

From Project Gutenberg

Already the vast temple of Avebury has all but disappeared, like an old ripple-mark of the tide of time.

From Project Gutenberg