cirque

[ surk ]
/ sɜrk /

noun

circle; ring.
a bowl-shaped, steep-walled mountain basin carved by glaciation, often containing a small, round lake.

Origin of cirque

1595–1605; < French < Latin circus; see circus

Example sentences from the Web for cirque

British Dictionary definitions for cirque

cirque
/ (sɜːk) /

noun

Also called: corrie, cwm a semicircular or crescent-shaped basin with steep sides and a gently sloping floor formed in mountainous regions by the erosive action of a glacier
archaeol an obsolete term for circle (def. 11)
poetic a circle, circlet, or ring

Word Origin for cirque

C17: from French, from Latin circus ring, circle, circus

Scientific definitions for cirque

cirque
[ sûrk ]

A steep, amphitheatre-shaped hollow occurring at the upper end of a mountain valley, especially one forming the head of a glacier or stream. Cirques are formed by the erosive activity of glaciers and often contain a small lake.