zastruga

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/zæˈstɹuːɡə//zəˈstɹuːɡə/

A form of sastruga — Any of a series of long, wavelike ridges or grooves formed on a snow surface by the wind, especially in polar plains, and surfaces of ice-covered lakes/seas. These dunes of snow may be blown across the plains like wind-driven waves.

OriginRussian заструга →
Scrabble 18
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Meanings

nounzastruga (plural zastrugas or zastrugi)

plural zastrugas · plural zastrugi

  1. alternativeAlternative form of sastruga.
    1 more example

    Later winds, if of sufficient force, will erode away the kalutoqaniq, producing sculptured forms which have great beauty but which are exceeding difficult to traverse. The sculpturings are widely known by the terms zastrugi (Russian) or skavler (Norwegian), but are more accurately known as kaioqlaq (Eskimo [Inuit]). Zastrugi or skavler refer to surface sculpturings in general. Kaioqlaq refers to large, hard sculpturings while the word tumarinyiq (Eskimo [Inuit]) refers to small zastrugi or "ripple marks."

    2003, William C. Wonders, Canada's changing North, McGill-Queen's Press, →ISBN, page 40

Origin

  1. Russianзаструга
  2. Englishzastruga

From Russian заструга (zastruga), related to струг (strug, “plane (tool)”).

More words from Russian

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

zastruga. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/zastruga

MLA

“zastruga.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/zastruga. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “zastruga,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/zastruga.

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