Definition

A mound or hill of sand formed and shaped by wind or water, commonly found in deserts, beaches, and other arid or coastal environments.

Example Usage

The children climbed the towering sand dune overlooking the beach.

Origin

From Old Norse 'dūnn' (down or dune), combined with 'sand' from Proto-Germanic '*sandaz.'

Fun Fact

Sand dunes can migrate several meters per year in strong desert winds, and some reach heights of over 300 meters in the Sahara.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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