[FONT=arial, helvetica] Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 08, 2008 is:
sitzmark • \SITS-mark\ • noun
: a depression left in the snow by a skier falling backward

Example sentence:
Proper skiing etiquette dictates that a skier who falls in the middle of a trail should smooth over his or her sitzmark so it won't pose a hazard to other skiers.

Did you know?
On the slopes, do you zip down the mountain leaving other skiers in your wake? Or are you more likely to leave a trail of sitzmarks behind you? If the latter is true, you may want to give your backside a break and plop down into a comfy chair in the ski lodge instead of plunking back onto the snow. Either way, you'll find yourself sitting on your derriere, a fact you can use to remember "sitzmark." It is most likely a creation made in English from the German verb "sitzen," meaning "to sit," plus the English noun "mark," as in "impression."


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