adret

noun

a-ˈdrā

plural -s

: a mountain slope so oriented as to receive considerable light and warmth from the sun during the day

—used chiefly of the Alps

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, borrowed from Occitan (Dauphiné dialects) adreit, adret, going back to Old Occitan adreg, derivative of adreg, adreit "suitable, correct, good," (hence, "the good side of the mountain") from a-, prefix, perhaps with intensive value (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + dreg, dreit "straight, direct" going back to Latin directus

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!