Scree

/skɹiː/ · noun

Meaning

(uncountable) Loose stony debris on a slope..

Definitions by Sense

1. (uncountable) Loose stony debris on a slope.
2. (uncountable, by extension) Similar debris made up of broken building material such as bricks, concrete, etc.
3. (countable) A slope made up of scree at the base of a cliff, mountain, etc.
4. To traverse scree downhill.
5. A harsh, high-pitched sound or cry (as of a hawk).
6. To make a high-pitched cry like that of a hawk.
7. To flatten or level concrete while still wet, and remove protruding gravel and stones from the surface.
8. (Scotland) A coarse sieve.

Example Sentences

To the north the towering scree-strewn slopes of Saddleback begin to draw nearer as we start the abrupt descent towards Keswick.

Struggling down the slope, There's not much hope. I begin to try to ride the scree But the rocks are tumbling all around me.

Sprawled prone among the rocks, the team waited for a reply to their request to fire. […] Occasional rounds zinged off the scree, each with a different pitch.

Acres of the industrial port had been reduced to desolation, half-walls, half-chimneys, crazy sticks of steel that looped up out of concrete scree. The temptation not to clear and rebuild must have been strong.

The next landmark was an apachita 'cairn', at the top of a steep scree. Each pilgrim carried a stone to the summit, spat on it, and threw it on to the cairn — the purpose being, I was told, to relieve the soul of its sins […]

Also, special to Crete, and probably derived from some aspect of its climactic history, is cementation. Many screes are converted, in whole or in part, into concrete-like breccias. Carapaces of cemented scree encrust steep slopes. Cliffs of conglomerate or marl are covered with a layer of re-deposited limestone and look like hard rock. However, the loose contents are apt to trickle out through a breach in the crust, resulting in the jagged and hollow cliffs which are a picturesque feature of Crete

We decided it would be fun to go down the face of the mountain screeing ("skiing" on scree).

I think both of our hearts must have gone into overdrive when we heard the metallic scree of a door being rolled open and the men's voices that accompanied it.

Synonyms for scree

Antonyms for scree

Related Words

Word Forms

• screes
• screeing
• screed

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

Practice and Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions