Moraine \Mo*raine"\, n. [F. Cf. Prov. G. mur stones broken off, It. mora a heap of stones, hillock, G. m["u]rbe soft, broken up, OHG. muruwi, AS. mearu tender, Gr. ? to cause to wither, Skr. ml[=a] to relax.]

(Geol.) An accumulation of earth and stones carried forward and deposited by a glacier. --Lyell.

Note: If the moranie is at the extremity of the glacier it is a terminal moranie; if at the side, a lateral moranie; if parallel to the side on the central portion of the glacier, a medial moranie. See Illust. of Glacier. In the last case it is formed by the union of the lateral moranies of the branches of the glacier. A ground moranie is one beneath the mass of ice.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)