Varves are defined as annual sediment layers and they can occur in many different environments. According to De Geer (1940) the term “varve” in English is derived from the Swedish term “varv”, (“hvarf” in its older spelling), for the cyclic clay deposits underlying the land surface of eastern Sweden.
This is part of the “What are words for?” project.
This word scored a seven on a three part scale of allusiveness, political oomph and cultural capital (min score 1, max score 3 for each part of the scale)
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