outwash
noun
out·wash
ˈau̇t-ˌwȯsh 
-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
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
But there are several other paths by which iron(II) makes its way to the oceans, including rivers, hydrothermal vents, volcanoes and glacial outwash plains like the one where Kaplan found his sample in Patagonia.
—Emily Underwood, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Jan. 2020
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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
But there are several other paths by which iron(II) makes its way to the oceans, including rivers, hydrothermal vents, volcanoes and glacial outwash plains like the one where Kaplan found his sample in Patagonia.
—Emily Underwood, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Jan. 2020
See More
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
Dictionary Entries Near outwash
Cite this Entry
“Outwash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outwash. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about outwash
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