muskeg

noun mus·keg \ ˈməs-ˌkeg , -ˌkāg \

Definition of muskeg

1 : bog; especially : a sphagnum bog of northern North America often with tussocks

2 : a usually thick deposit of partially decayed vegetable matter of wet boreal regions

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Examples of muskeg in a Sentence

local farmers can make extra money by digging peat out of the nearby muskeg

Recent Examples of muskeg from the Web

The combination of alpine, muskeg and stands of young aspen and birch established after a fire — more than a million acres burned in 2004 — created an infusion of nutrients ideal for ruffed grouse.

— author: christine cunningham, Alaska Dispatch News, "In grouse country near Chicken, a bird dog has his day," 28 Sep. 2017
The train tracks running over muskeg and the frozen soil of the boreal forest to Churchill from the nearest town to the south, Gillam, 179 miles away, were washed out in 19 places, according to their American corporate owner.

— catherine porter, New York Times, "Canadian Town, Isolated After Losing Rail Link, ‘Feels Held Hostage’," 30 Aug. 2017
Keep in mind, the terrain moose are normally taken in is muskeg, a soggy surface that can make walking as if through deep mud. Rarely is the terrain level and without deadfalls and brush to negotiate.

— steve meyer, Alaska Dispatch News, "You’ve shot your moose. Are you strong enough to pack it out?," 23 Aug. 2017
This is the layer of dead, decomposing sphagnum moss beneath the living layer in the stinky muskeg swamps of the Great White North.

— patrick di justo, WIRED, "What's Inside Sta-Green Planting Mix? Masterful Decomposition.," 28 July 2010

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'muskeg.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.