A fluvial terrace is a step-like landform that represents a former level of a riverbed, formed by river erosion and deposition. Terraces are often used as indicators of past river activity, climatic changes, and tectonic uplift. They are important in the study of fluvial geomorphology, stratigraphy, and Quaternary geology.
Reference: Bull, W. B. (1991). Geomorphic Responses to Climatic Change. Oxford University Press.