scabland

noun

scab·​land ˈskab-ˌland How to pronounce scabland (audio)
: a region characterized by elevated tracts of rocky land with little or no soil cover and traversed or isolated by postglacial dry stream channels
usually used in plural

Examples of scabland in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But geologists were not so dismissive; to them, the scablands were an enigma. Michael Melford, National Geographic, 9 Mar. 2017 Standing in the middle of a broad swath of scablands extending from horizon to horizon, my mind’s eye could clearly see the floodwaters blasting through, like a raging inland sea, ripping up everything not strong enough to stay moored. Michael Melford, National Geographic, 9 Mar. 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scabland was in 1904

Dictionary Entries Near scabland

Cite this Entry

“Scabland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scabland. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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