First Known Use: 1744
Dictionary
1avalanche
noun av·a·lanche \ˈa-və-ˌlanch\
: a large amount of snow and ice or of dirt and rocks that slides suddenly down the side of a mountain
: a sudden great amount of something
Full 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)
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Origin of AVALANCHE
French, from French dialect (Franco-Provençal) lavantse, avalantse
Other Geology Terms
Rhymes with AVALANCHE
2avalanche
verb
avalanchedavalanch·ing
Definition of AVALANCHE
intransitive verb
: to descend in an avalanche
transitive verb
First Known Use of AVALANCHE
1855
AVALANCHE Defined for Kids
avalanche
noun av·a·lanche \ˈa-və-ˌlanch\
Definition of AVALANCHE for Kids
: a large mass of snow and ice or of earth or rock sliding down a mountainside or over a cliff
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