cairn

/keən/

Thân thiện

A cairn marks the path through the high mountain pass.

Definition

Noun: 1. A mound of stones piled up as a memorial or to mark a boundary or path: A cairn is a human-made pile of stones, often used historically and in modern times as a landmark, trail marker, burial monument, or memorial site. 2. A small rough-haired breed of terrier from Scotland: Cairn Terrier is a specific breed of small dog originating from Scotland, originally bred for hunting among cairns and rocky terrain.

Usage

• Cairns are commonly found on mountain summits, along hiking trails, and in open landscapes to guide travelers.
• The word is used to describe both the physical stone structure and the specific dog breed. Context usually makes the meaning clear.

Examples

• As a stone mound:
  • Hikers built a small cairn at the summit to mark their achievement.
  • Follow the path of cairns to stay on the trail across the moor.
  • Ancient cairns in the field are believed to be burial sites.
• As a dog breed:
  • Their Cairn is very energetic and loves to dig.
  • The Cairn Terrier has a distinctive shaggy coat.

Advanced Usage

• Cairn can be used metaphorically to represent a lasting marker or legacy.
  • His groundbreaking research stands as a cairn in the field of biology.

Variants and Related Words

• Cairned (adj): Marked by or having cairns.
  • The cairned ridge guided them safely.
• Cairn Terrier (n): The full name of the dog breed.

Synonyms

• For the stone mound: stone pile, mound, marker, memorial pile.
• For the dog breed: Cairn Terrier.

Idioms and Phrases

• To add a stone to someone's cairn: To praise or honor someone after their death; to contribute to their lasting legacy or memory.
  • The biography adds a stone to the great author's cairn.

Học thuật

Noun

1. small rough-haired breed of terrier from Scotland
2. a mound of stones piled up as a memorial or to mark a boundary or path

Từ đồng nghĩa

• cairn terrier