inselberg

(ĭn'səl-bŭrg', -zəl-)

[German : Insel, island (from Middle High German insule , from alteration of Old High German isila , probably from Vulgar Latin *īsula; see isle) + Berg, mountain (from Middle High German berc , from Old High German berg).]

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A steep, isolated peak rising abruptly from a pediment; Uluru (Ayer's Rock), Australia, is perhaps the most famous example. There is some debate about the origin of inselbergs. Some writers attribute their formation to parallel slope retreat; others believe that they are the revealed remnants of the deeply weathered rock typical of tropical climates. See bornhardt.

• Materials, Formations, and Substances - inselberg: monadnock