Numerous Moorish words are used to describe the itineraries we offer. Travelers will encounter these words and expressions during their expeditions. We believe it useful and beneficial to explain some of them in the following list.

• referring to mountains and valleys:

Aftout : from Zenagui affatud, pl. 'iftôten, describes a long and wide interdune valley.

Bâten : pl. butnân. Plain in general; more specifically a plain with an inclined plane at the foot of a mountain.

Batha : pl. btâh'. Sandy terrain serving as a bed for a temporary watercourse, or the watercourse itself.

Dhar : Hard terrain on a height. Tabular platform (back).

Hofra : pl. hôfrât. Hollow, depression, cavity in general – Hôfrat Wadâne.

Sebkha : pl. sbâkh. Salt-laden depression or lowland.

Salt lake, salt flat. Closed depression liable to flooding, characterized by the presence of salt deposits resulting from evaporation.

Adrâr : from Zenagui Adrar, pl. Edraren. In Zenagui the word carries the idea of length and extension.

1° - Adrar : mountain range, region of Mauritania sometimes called Adrâr Tmar (the Adrar of dates).

2° - The feminine form Tâdrart is fairly common in Berber-speaking areas. This word designates a long leather rope.

Reg: soil covered with stones, generally on plateau

Gâra : pl. gûr. Plateau isolated by erosion and crowned by a table of hard rock, limestone or sandstone.

While guelb has a more or less triangular outline, gâra has the profile of a trapezoid or more or less regular rectangle.

Guelb : pl. glâb, pl. of abundance gellâbat. Inselberg, remnant ridge rising above the crystalline peneplain – Th. Monod.

Jbel : pl. ejbâl. Mountain range, mountain massif.

Rîcha : pl. rîchât and collective: rîch

In the Rîchât of Wadâne: parallel and curved rocky crests.

Megsem : pl. mgâsem.

Pass, passage through mountains.

• referring to dunes:

Erg: sandy expanse composed of different types of dunes

'aklé : pl. 'akel. Active tangled or crumbling dunes, difficult to access. Confused mass of live dunes.

Beyond the great fixed dunes – 'alâb – there exist other types of dunes, active this time. The simplest type is the barkhane

Barkhane: (word of Turko-Persian origin), dune in a regular crescent shape, pure and beautiful. Association between them forms an 'aklé.

'Elb : pl. 'alâb. Dead dune, very long, very flat and rounded.

The elb – aftout system: the great fixed dunes, the heavy ridges are the 'alâb which constitute both north of the Adrâr the Maghteïr, and south l'Wârane. The 'alâb are separated by wide interdune zones: the aftout.

The active dune ridges that are slûk stripe the back of the 'alâb with sharp and bright trails.

• referring to water:

'aïn : pl. aïun.

1° - Spring. This is the meaning of this word in classical Arabic.

2° - Hole dug to find water. Well in general.

Bîr : pl. ébyâr. Well lined with wood or stones, at least ten human heights deep, or about 25 meters.

Guelta : pl. glât. Cistern, natural basin in rock where rainwater accumulates.

Grâra : pl. graïr. Depression, lowland: overflow zone with more or less clayey soil flooded by spates, often situated on plains at the outlet of wadis and which constitutes a temporary cultivable surface.

Hâssi : pl. hasyan. Well in general, well of medium depth.

• referring to structures

Agâdîr : Berber word, pl. agwâdîr, designating a fortified storehouse.