avalanche

 
Pronunciation: /ˈavəlɑːnʃ/

noun

  • 1a mass of snow, ice, and rocks falling rapidly down a mountainside: he was swept to his death by an avalanche in 1988
  • a large mass of mud or other material moving rapidly downhill: an avalanche of mud
  • 2a sudden arrival or occurrence of something in overwhelming quantities: we have had an avalanche of applications for the post
  • 3 Physics a cumulative process in which a fast-moving ion or electron generates further ions and electrons by collision.

verb

[no object]
  • 1(of a mass of snow, ice, etc.) descend rapidly down a mountainside.
  • [with object] engulf or carry off by an avalanche: the climbers were avalanched down the south face of the mountain
  • 2 Physics undergo a rapid increase in conductivity due to an avalanche process.

Origin:

late 18th century: from French, alteration of the Alpine dialect word lavanche (of unknown origin), influenced by avaler 'descend'; compare with Italian valanga