Word of the Day

: March 6, 2015

eolian

adjective ee-OH-lee-un

What It Means

: borne, deposited, produced, or eroded by the wind

eolian in Context

The park is known for its eolian caves-chambers formed in sandstone cliffs by powerful winds.

"Basaltic minerals in the mudstone are similar to those in nearby eolian deposits." - D. T. Vaniman et al., Science, December 9, 2013

Did You Know?

When Aeolus blew into town, things really got moving. He was the Greek god of the winds and the king of the floating island of Aeolia. In The Odyssey, Homer claims Aeolus helped Odysseus by giving him a favorable wind. Aeolus also gave English speakers a few terms based on his name, including today's adjective eolian (also spelled aeolian), which is often used for wind-sculpted geological features such as caves and dunes, and aeolian harp, an instrument that makes music when the wind blows across its strings.