outwash

noun

out·​wash ˈau̇t-ˌwȯsh How to pronounce outwash (audio)
-ˌwäsh
: detritus consisting chiefly of gravel and sand carried by running water from the melting ice of a glacier and laid down in stratified deposits

Examples of outwash in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This latest study exploits the remarkable preservation of the body tissues of Mazon Creek fossils—thanks to rapid burial in a silty outwash with a unique chemistry that essentially entombed the remains of dead creatures in a crust of siderite and slowed decay. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 25 Apr. 2023 South of the rocky central spine of the island, the fine white sand of the glacial outwash spills into the Atlantic, creating beaches that, over the past century and a half, have drawn wealthy New Yorkers eastward in droves. Jay McInerney, Travel + Leisure, 30 July 2023 Proposed in 1990 by the late oceanographer John Martin, the hypothesis suggests that flurries of dust — swept from cold, dry landscapes like the glacial outwash where Kaplan now stood, trowel in hand — played a crucial role in the last major ice age. Emily Underwood, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2020 In the image above, glacial flour discolors Scoresby Sound where the outwash plain reaches the water. Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 17 Oct. 2018 The carnage took place along the flood-prone outwash plain on the south and east shores of the island, located at the crest of the New York Bight, where geography funneled the ocean’s angry waters. Ted Steinberg, Discover Magazine, 25 Apr. 2014 The upper sections originate in and flow through a large conifer bog surrounded by a sandy outwash plain known as the pine barrens. Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2022 The focus is on adventure exploration in old-growth forests and glacial outwash fields—guests can kayak or paddleboard beside glaciers or hike and bushwalk in untouched terrain. Judy Koutsky, Forbes, 19 May 2022 Geologic studies quickly determined that the town’s location on an outwash delta built of fine sediments was inherently unstable and was continuing to slide seaward. Nancy Lord, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Oct. 2021

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

Word History

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of outwash was in 1805

Dictionary Entries Near outwash

Cite this Entry

“Outwash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outwash. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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