scree

/skri:/

Thân thiện

A hiker carefully crosses a steep scree slope.

Definition

Noun: A scree is a sloping accumulation of loose, broken rock fragments, typically found at the base of a cliff or on a steep mountainside. It is formed by the weathering and erosion of the rock face above.

Usage

The word scree is used to describe a specific geological landform. It is often found in contexts related to hiking, mountaineering, geology, and landscape description. It is typically treated as a singular, uncountable noun when referring to the mass of rocks, but can be pluralized when referring to multiple distinct areas.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The climbers carefully descended the steep scree slope.
  • A large scree had formed beneath the eroded cliff.
  • The path was treacherous, covered in loose scree.

Advanced Usage

• "Scree slope": A common collocation specifying the inclined surface covered in scree.

  • They had to traverse a long scree slope to reach the summit.

• "Scree field": A term often used interchangeably with "scree slope" to describe an extensive area covered in scree.

  • The valley was filled with a vast scree field.

Variants and Related Words

• Talus: (noun) A near-synonym in geology, often used interchangeably with scree, though some definitions distinguish talus as consisting of larger, coarser fragments.
  • The talus cone at the base of the mountain was unstable.

Synonyms

• Debris slope: A slope covered with rock debris.
• Rockfall deposit: The accumulated material from rockfalls.

Related Phrases

• "To scree-run": (verb, informal) The act of running or sliding down a scree slope, often as a rapid descent method in hiking.
  • After reaching the peak, they decided to scree-run down the eastern face.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a sloping mass of loose rocks at the base of a cliff

Từ đồng nghĩa

• talus