wind gap

9.6

A pass in a mountain ridge that once had a stream but is now dry

noun
/wɪnd ɡæp/

Specialized

: desfiladero

Geologists studied the wind gap to understand the ancient river that once ran through it.

Examples

Instead of flowing water, only dry grass lined the wind gap in the mountains.
The hikers crossed the wind gap before descending into the valley below.
Look at that wind gap!
The wind gap is beautiful!
Geologists studied the wind gap to understand the ancient river that once flowed through it.
Instead of flowing water, only dry grass lined the wind gap in the mountains.
The hikers crossed the wind gap before descending into the valley below.

Synonyms

gap

vswind gap

148 1.0

An open space between two things, like a pass in hills

is a mountain pass that once carried a stream but is now dry

notch

vswind gap

14 6.8

A narrow pass between two mountain peaks

is the same feature that once carried a stream and is now dry

Surface Forms

wind gap singular

wind gaps plural

Morphology

wind + gap

The headword denotes a specialized geological feature (a former stream pass now dry) that is not derivable from the everyday meanings of 'wind' (air in motion) and 'gap' (opening). A B1 learner who knows the constituents would likely infer something like a 'windy opening' or a gap caused by wind, so the true sense is unpredictable without exposure or technical knowledge.

Etymology

The noun wind gap may come from a simple mountain image: a gap in a ridge that once had a stream but is now dry, so only the wind passes through it. That's why the name means 'a dry mountain pass where a stream once flowed'.