Dene, Denudation, Deposition, Design Storm, Detritus: Word Origins, Descriptions of Coastal Features, Processes

In the current alphabetic series of word origins and physical descriptions of coastal features and processes, here are dene, denudation, deposition, depression, design storm, design wave, and detritus.

Dene
The coast-related word dene comes from Middle English den and denne. It is probably akin to Old English dun ("down, hill").

Dene is a British word for a low sand hill near a sea.

Denudation
The English word denudation comes from Late Latin denudation-, a combining form of denudatio, from Latin denudatus, the past participle of denudare ("to make bare"), a combination of de- ("down, away, from") and nudus ("bare").

On a coast, denudation is the laying bare of rocks by erosion, or a formation created by that process.

Deposition
The coast-related sense of deposition comes from the verb deposit ("to let fall"), from Latin depositus, the past participle of deponere ("to put down"), a combination of de- ("down, away, from") and ponere ("to put").

On a coast, deposition is the depositing of sediment, or the material itself resulting from that process.

Depression
English depression comes from Middle French depression, from Late Latin depression-, a combining form of depressio, from Latin depressus, the past participle of deprimere ("to press down"), a combination of de- ("down, away, from") and -primere, from premere ("to press").

Depression is a general term in geology referring to any land area lower than its surroundings, such as a hollow. A depressed area on the ocean floor is also called a depression.

Design Storm
To ensure the protection of a coastal area, engineers often design protective structures that are intended to withstand the extreme wave attack of a specific kind of storm for a particular kind of coast. The design especially considers the elements of wave condition, water level, and storm duration. This extreme storm analyzed for planning purposes is called a design storm.

Design Wave
A design wave is a specific kind of wave that engineers select as being the type against which a particular coast needs protection.

Detritus
The English word detritus comes from French détritus, from Latin detritus, the past participle of deterere ("to wear away"), a combination of de- ("down, away, from") and terere ("to rub").

On a coast, detritus is the loose material, such as small rock fragments, worn away from larger masses by the action of water, especially waves.
________________________________

Encyclopaedia Britannica Ready Reference 2004. CD-ROM. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2004.

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. 11th ed. Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 2006.

Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary. 3rd ed. Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 2007.

The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, 1989.