1. Plural of cairn; piles of stones stacked as markers, memorials, or landmarks, typically on hilltops or along trails.
Usage: Most common sense; used in hiking, geography, and archaeology.
2. Plural of cairn; a mound of stones built as a burial monument or memorial in ancient cultures.
Usage: Historical and archaeological context.

Examples

• The hikers followed the cairns up the mountain to stay on the trail.
• Ancient cairns dot the Scottish highlands, marking sacred sites.
• We built small cairns to mark our path through the wilderness.
• The archaeologists discovered several Bronze Age cairns in the valley.
• Cairns serve as important navigation aids in areas without marked paths.