avalanche

¹av·a·lanche

noun \ˈa-və-ˌlanch\

Definition of AVALANCHE

1

: a large mass of snow, ice, earth, rock, or other material in swift motion down a mountainside or over a precipice

2

: a sudden great or overwhelming rush or accumulation of something <hit by an avalanche of paperwork>

3

: a cumulative process in which photons or accelerated charge carriers produce additional photons or charge carriers through collisions (as with gas molecules)

Examples of AVALANCHE

1. He was buried by an avalanche.

Origin of AVALANCHE

French, from French dialect (Franco-Provençal) lavantse, avalantse

First Known Use: 1771

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

Rhymes with AVALANCHE

olive branch

²avalanche

verb

avalanchedavalanch·ing

Definition of AVALANCHE

intransitive verb

: to descend in an avalanche

transitive verb

: overwhelm, flood

First Known Use of AVALANCHE

1855

avalanche

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Large mass of material, such as snow or rock debris, that moves rapidly down a mountain slope, sweeping everything in its path. Avalanches begin when a mass of material overcomes the frictional resistance of the sloping surface, often after the material's foundation has been weakened by rains or the snow has been partially melted by a warm, dry wind. Other weather conditions that can lead to avalanches are heavy snowfall and high winds. A common method of avalanche control consists of detonating explosives in the upper reaches of avalanche zones, which intentionally causes the snow to slide before accumulations have become very great.