dune

noun

ˈdün How to pronounce dune (audio)
 also  ˈdyün
: a hill or ridge of sand piled up by the wind
dunelike
ˈdün-ˌlīk How to pronounce dune (audio)
 also  ˈdyün-
adjective

Examples of dune in a Sentence

We wandered over the dunes.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Finally, as the name suggests, sunrise and sunset are spectacular times to behold the dunes blushing coral pink—another reason to consider camping here for a night or two. Maya Silver, Outside Online, 10 Mar. 2025 At the corral site near mile marker 45, halfway down the beach on Padre Island, a July evening breeze sweeps through the dunes. Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025 The highlight of her ride was the exhilarating rush of speeding over the dunes, with the pyramids rising dramatically in the distance. Emese MacZko, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025 While searching the dunes built along a road originally heading toward a power plant, archaeologists also found the remains of a Red Army soldier who was killed in March 1945, according to the release. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dune

Word History

Etymology

French, from Old French, from Middle Dutch; akin to Old English dūn down — more at down

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dune was in 1605

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dune.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dune. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

dune

noun
: a hill or ridge of sand piled up by the wind

More from Merriam-Webster on dune

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