desert varnish: Meaning and Definition of

des'ert var'nish

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. the dark, lustrous coating or crust, usually of manganese and iron oxides, that forms on rocks, pebbles, etc., when exposed to weathering in the desert. Also called
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.