arête

noun

ə-ˈrāt How to pronounce arête (audio)
: a sharp-crested ridge in rugged mountains

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, "fish bone, edge formed by the meeting of two planes, line formed by two slopes of a mountain ridge," going back to Middle French areste — more at arris

Note: See note at arris.

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of arête was in 1838

Dictionary Entries Near arête

aretalogy

arête

Arethusa

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Arête.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ar%C3%AAte. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

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