An ait (above) is a river island, splitting the main stream—and most often seen filling out three spaces in a crossword puzzle.
If you've either puzzled endlessly over that an other odd landscape and geology terms, or if you're in the habit of hiking or walking through the countryside, a new book by British landscape/topography expert Dominick Tyler may be the perfect gift.
Full of pictures and explanations, drawn from U.K. landscapes, it covers the aits, the meols, the oozes, the grykes and more. It's called Uncommon Ground: A word-lover's guide to the British Landscape. It's available through Amazon for £13.59 in UK or $15.12 in U.S., making the U.S. price a relative bargain.
The Guarian (UK) has an extensive review. Photo: Wikimedia / Graham Hom
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