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prettygoodwordaiguille (ay-GWEEL, AY-gweel) - n., a sharp-pointed pinnacle of rock.
Also, a needle-shaped drill for boring holes in rock or masonry, but that's less important. Aiguille are formed in glaciated mountains where two cirques from glaciers nearly merge, cutting away all but a sharply peaked bit of rock. Originally, it referred to a specific set of such peaks near Chamonix, but since generalized (starting around 1810) to elsewhere -- said peaks themselves being named from French aiguille, needle, from Vulgar Latin *acūcula, alteration of Late Latin acucula, from acus, needle, pin + diminutive ending.
---L.
Also, a needle-shaped drill for boring holes in rock or masonry, but that's less important. Aiguille are formed in glaciated mountains where two cirques from glaciers nearly merge, cutting away all but a sharply peaked bit of rock. Originally, it referred to a specific set of such peaks near Chamonix, but since generalized (starting around 1810) to elsewhere -- said peaks themselves being named from French aiguille, needle, from Vulgar Latin *acūcula, alteration of Late Latin acucula, from acus, needle, pin + diminutive ending.
---L.
