Among the classifications of soil types, loess is a fine, silty, pale yellow or buff in color, winblown (aeolian) type of unconsolidated deposit. The term sometimes also refers to soils derived from such deposits. The word comes from the German Löss or Löß, and ultimately from Swiss German lösch (loose). It is pronounced in several different ways in English (IPA: /ˈloʊɛs/, /ˈlʌs/, /ˈlɛs/).