lahar

noun

la·​har ˈlä-ˌhär How to pronounce lahar (audio)
: a moving fluid mass composed of volcanic debris and water

Examples of lahar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Visitors should, however, watch out for lahars, which are mudflows or debris flows. Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2024 The most recent lahar from Rainier was the Electron flow that happened only ~500 years ago. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 17 May 2022 At Rainier, the Pierce County government and the USGS has a lahar early warning system, where sensors along the river valleys can send a signal to towns below the volcano if a lahar is detected. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 17 May 2022 Another threat is lahar, a muddy stream of water, volcanic ash and rocks that can move as fast as cars and engulf areas up to several kilometers (miles) away. Jim Gomez, Anchorage Daily News, 20 June 2023 The dangers Many hazards are associated with erupting volcanoes: lava flows, acidic gases, ash and lahars, which are dangerous flows of water, ash and rock that run miles down the steep slopes of volcanoes, sometimes at over 100 miles per hour. Rachel Beane, The Conversation, 1 May 2023 The New Zealand government is taking this change at Ruapehu seriously and has warned people from climbing the volcano, as a lahar can be generated quickly by relatively small explosions when ice and snow melt at the summit or the crater lake is breached. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2012 The force of lahars can move huge boulders and destroy bridges and buildings. Rachel Beane, The Conversation, 1 May 2023 That's why volcanoes like Mt. Rainier have lahar warning systems for the towns downslope from the volcano. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 17 Apr. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lahar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Javanese

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lahar was in 1929

Dictionary Entries Near lahar

Cite this Entry

“Lahar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lahar. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

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