avalanche
AV-uh-lanch
/ˈævəlæntʃ/
A rapid flow of snow, ice, and rock down a mountainside; or an overwhelming surge of items.
Implies sudden instigation and heavy momentum sweeping downward.
The story behind the word. Adopted from French avalanche, which adapted the Alpine dialect term lavanche. That term came from Vulgar Latin labina (a slipping down), altered by influence from the French verb avaler (to descend or swallow down).
Word relationships
- snowslide: Snowslide refers purely to sliding snow, whereas avalanche often implies catastrophic rock, ice, and soil debris.
Commonly confused with
- landslide: A landslide consists mainly of dirt, rock, and mud, whereas an avalanche typically involves snow and ice.
Word family
- avalanching (verb): Descending in the manner of an avalanche.
Collocations
- massive avalanche
- avalanche warning
- avalanche risk
- avalanche of mail
Idioms & expressions
- an avalanche of criticism
Example sentences
- "Heavy snowfall followed by rapid warming created perfect conditions for a catastrophic avalanche on the northern slope." Alpine safety warning
- "Following the system update, the helpdesk faced an avalanche of customer complaints." Metaphorical usage in customer support
Memory hook
AVALANCHE: A Very Abundant Landslide And Snow Clearing Everything. Snow slipping down mountains.
When not to use
Do not use for slow snowmelt or minor rock falls.
Fun facts
- A large avalanche can travel over 80 miles per hour and carry over 300,000 cubic yards of snow.
Related words
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