dune

noun

ˈdün 

also ˈdyün

: a hill or ridge of sand piled up by the wind

dunelike

ˈdün-ˌlīk 

also ˈdyün-

adjective

Examples of dune in a Sentence

We wandered over the dunes.

Recent Examples on the Web

The 1,500-mile race spans eight days of dirt roads, rough tracks and dunes across Nevada, California and Utah. — New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2026

There are two main anchors, the North and South Pavilions, connected by a track almost three kilometers in length, twisting and turning between dunes and rock formations. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Brigantine city manager Tiger Platt said the storm also wiped out about 30 feet of dunes, leaving homes and streets more vulnerable to flooding during future storms. — Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026

In Namibia, the Skeleton Coast stretches along the Atlantic, where towering dunes meet the ocean. — Liz Wheeler, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from Old French, from Middle Dutch; akin to Old English dūn down — more at down

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing dune

• dune buggy
• sand dune

Rhymes for dune

• boon
• brune
• coon
• croon
• goon
• hewn
• hoon
• june
• loon
• moon
• noon
• poon

Kids Definition

dune

noun

ˈd(y)ün 

: a hill or ridge of sand piled up by the wind