avalanche
AV-uh-lanch
/ˈævəlæntʃ/
A massive fall of snow, ice, and rock sliding rapidly down a mountainside; or an overwhelming sudden onset of something.
Refers specifically to rapid downhill mass movement under gravity, but widely used metaphorically for overwhelming volume.
The story behind the word. The word originated in Savoyard French dialects of the Alps, where mountain peasants combined 'aval' (meaning down toward the valley) with local suffixes to describe the terrifying slides of snow that swept down upon their villages every spring.
Word relationships
- snowslide: Snowslide refers specifically to snow, whereas an avalanche can carry ice, rock, and debris.
- landslide: Landslide involves rock and earth, while an avalanche primarily originates with snow and ice formations.
- accumulation: Accumulation is the slow gathering of snow or material rather than its sudden downward collapse.
Commonly confused with
- blizzard: A blizzard is a severe airborne snowstorm; an avalanche is snow sliding down a slope.
Word family
- avalanching (verb): Cascading down violently like an avalanche.
Collocations
- avalanche beacon
- avalanche prone
- trigger an avalanche
- avalanche risk
Idioms & expressions
- an avalanche of work
- an avalanche of criticism
Example sentences
- "The sound of thunder echoed through the canyon seconds before the avalanche engulfed the lower glacier trail." Alpine hazard assessment
- "After the press release, the emergency command center received an avalanche of public inquiries." Metaphorical surge
Memory hook
Imagine snow rushing down to the VALLEY (AVAL) in an Avalanche. Snow rushing down to the valley.
When not to use
Do not use for mudslides or slow-moving snowbanks where speed and massive friction are absent.
Fun facts
- Large avalanches can travel up to 80 miles per hour (130 km/h) and produce atmospheric shockwaves.
Related words
Also appears in
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