crag
A steep, rough cliff or rocky wall.
A crag is a steep, rugged cliff or rock face, the kind that juts out dramatically from a mountainside or coastline. Picture a rough wall of stone rising sharply into the sky, with jagged edges and irregular surfaces worn by centuries of wind and weather.
Crags are favorite challenges for rock climbers, who scale these natural stone walls using ropes, special shoes, and sometimes just their strength and skill. A climber might spend hours finding handholds and footholds on a crag's surface, working their way carefully upward. Mountain goats and bighorn sheep navigate crags with remarkable ease, leaping between ledges that would terrify most humans.
You'll often find crags in mountainous regions like Scotland, the American Rockies, or the Alps. Birds of prey like eagles and falcons sometimes build their nests on crags, where the height and inaccessibility help protect their young from predators.
When someone has a craggy face, it means their features are rough and weathered, with deep lines and angles that make them look strong and experienced, like the rock formations themselves.