John Muir Glossary

A

• anemometer: a device used for measuring wind speed
• avalanche: large amounts of snow and ice that become dislodged and fall rapidly down a mountainside

B

• bairn (Scots): child or baby. (Bairn is used in the north and east of Scotland, wean is used in the south and west)
• bobolink: a bird, from the same family as the blackbird, that lives in South America. Bobolinks have white or yellow feathers on their heads

C

• chasm: a deep, steep-sided opening in the earth’s surface
• chickadee: a small songbird, from the same family as a sparrow or bluetit, that lives in North America and Canada
• continent: a huge, continuous expanse of land, which can contain many countries. The world’s continents are Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia and Antarctica
• crevasse: a deep, open crack, usually in a glacier

D

• destruction: damage to an object, building or place that cannot be repaired

G

• gangly (Scots): tall, thin and not very graceful
• gannet: a large sea bird, a bit like a gull. Gannets are black and white and live near coasts in many parts of the world, especially in the UK
• genius: an exceptionally intelligent person, or someone with an exceptional skill
• glacier: a huge mass of ice, made from layers and layers of compacted snow. Glaciers form on land and move very, very slowly over it
• glaikit (Scots): stupid, foolish or absent-minded
• greet (Scots): ‘greeting’ is a Scots word for crying or weeping

I

• inlet: a narrow passage of water connecting the sea to the land

K

• kin: family

L

• legacy: what a person leaves behind after they die: what others remember about them

M

• malinky (Scots): person or body

N

• nuthatch: a small bird, often brightly coloured, that lives in woodland. Nuthatches are mostly found in North America and Asia

P

• perilous: dangerous or risky

R

• rascal: an affectionate term for a mischievous or cheeky person

S

• scootchers: John Muir’s made-up word for adventures or a game of ‘dares’
• scurvy: scurvy is a rare disease that results from not getting enough vitamin C. Once upon a time it was common in sailors. ‘Scurvy dogs’ is a sea-faring term for sailors who are considered bad, dirty or diseased
• skylark: a small brown and white songbird with a crest on its head. Skylarks live mainly in Europe, Asia and North Africa

Further information

California, Florida, Grand Canyon, Indiana, Sierra Nevada Mountains, San Francisco, Savannah, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Yosemite are all places in America.