varve

noun

ˈvärv How to pronounce varve (audio)
: a pair of layers of alternately finer and coarser silt or clay believed to comprise an annual cycle of deposition in a body of still water
varved
ˈvärvd How to pronounce varve (audio)
adjective

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Swedish varv "turn, round, layer," going back to Germanic *hwarban-, hwarb- "turn, circle," whence Old Norse hvarf "circle, ring, enclosed space," Old English hwearf "turn, exchange, crowd, embankment" — more at wharf

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of varve was in 1912

Dictionary Entries Near varve

varus

varve

varvel

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Varve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/varve. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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Kids Definition

varve

noun
ˈvärv How to pronounce varve (audio)
: a pair of layers of alternately finer and coarser silt or clay believed to be deposited annually in a body of still water

More from Merriam-Webster on varve

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about varve

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