turlough

tur·lough
T1U1R1L1O1U1G2H4
UK/ˈtɜː.lɒx/

noun

A temporary lake in an area of limestone, filled by rising groundwater during the rainy winter season.

Similar
vernal pool
OriginIrish tur →
UncommonScrabble 12
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Meanings

nounturlough (plural turloughs)

plural turloughs

  1. IrelandA temporary lake in an area of limestone, filled by rising groundwater during the rainy winter season.

    How deep was that small lake—more a turlough really, filled with water in autumn and winter, a dry hollow in summer[…]

    2011, Dermot Bolger, The Journey Home, page 108
    1 more example

    Naisi said that it was a turlough, or a disappearing lake, and that before the year's end, it would be full of water again.

    2008, David Riley, A Celtic Tale, page 75

    Synonyms: vernal pool

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA temporary lake in an area of limestone, filled by rising groundwater during the rainy winter season.

Similar
vernal pool
Also see
vernal pool

Origin

  1. Irishtur“dry”
  2. Englishturlough

From Irish tur (“dry”) + loch (“lake”).

More words from Irish

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

turlough. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/turlough

MLA

“turlough.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/turlough. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “turlough,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/turlough.

Source: turlough on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.