sastruga

American  

[sas-truh-guh, sah-struh-, sa-stroo-, sah-] / ˈsæs trə gə, ˈsɑ strə-, sæˈstru-, sɑ- /

noun

plural

sastrugi

1. Usually sastrugi. ridges of snow formed on a snowfield by the action of the wind.

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sastruga British  

/ səˈstruːɡə, sæ- /

noun

1. one of a series of ridges on snow-covered plains, caused by the action of wind laden with ice particles

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Etymology

Origin of sastruga

1830–40; < German < dialectal Russian zastrúga, noun derivative of zastrugátʾ, zastrogátʾ to plane, shave down (wood), equivalent to za- perfective v. prefix + strugátʾ, strogátʾ to plane, smooth (wood)

Example Sentences

A fine example of a typical old sastruga was passed on the way.

From The Home of the Blizzard Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 by Mawson, Douglas, Sir

As the sledge strikes each sastruga, it skids northwards along it to the discomfort of the wheelers and the disgust of the leader.

From The Home of the Blizzard Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 by Mawson, Douglas, Sir

The sail was up and, while braking the load upwind, I slipped and fell, allowing the sledge to collide with a large sastruga.

From The Home of the Blizzard Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 by Mawson, Douglas, Sir

Each of us took it in turn to run ahead, jumping from one sastruga to another.

From The Home of the Blizzard Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 by Mawson, Douglas, Sir

One walks into a deep trench or a sastruga two feet high without noticing it.

From The Home of the Blizzard Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 by Mawson, Douglas, Sir