duricrust

dur·i·crust

[door-i-kruhst, dyoor-]
noun
a hard crust that forms on or in soil in semiarid climates owing to cementation of soil particles. Compare caliche, hardpan ( defs 1, 2 ).

Origin:
< Latin dūr(us) hard + -i- + crust

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To duricrust
Collins
World English Dictionary
duricrust (ˈdjʊərɪˌkrʌst) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
another name for caliche

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Duricrust is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

duricrust

surface or near-surface of the Earth consisting of a hardened accumulation of silica (SiO2), alumina (Al2O3), and iron oxide (Fe2O3), in varying proportions. Admixtures of other substances commonly are present and duricrusts may be enriched with oxides of manganese or titanium within restricted areas. Thus, siliceous, ferruginous, and aluminous crusts constitute duricrusts proper. Encrusted layers of calcium carbonate, gypsum, and salt, however, are often considered forms of duricrust.

Learn more about duricrust with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT