Hammada

/həˈmɑːdə/ noun

Definition

A rocky desert plateau or barren highland region covered with loose stones and pebbles, found in North Africa.

Etymology

From Arabic hamada, possibly derived from a root meaning 'to be hard' or 'to harden.' The term is specific to the arid environments of the Sahara and surrounding regions.

Kelly Says

A hammada is one of three Saharan landscape types (along with erg and reg), and understanding these distinctions helps geographers predict water sources and migration routes in one of Earth's harshest environments.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.