avalanche English · revision 2393

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈævəlɑːnʃ/ ''(UK)''; /ˈævəlæn(t)ʃ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|avalanche]],^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995) from a dialect word of the Alps: Etymonline gives Romansch ''avalantze'' “descent”, Merriam-Webster Franco-Provençal ''lavantse, avalantse'' and Random House Savoy ''avalantse''.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) The older form ''lavantse'' was altered under the influence of Old French ''avaler'' “to go down”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU) from ''à val'' “to the valley”.^(Barnhart 1995) Its source may be a pre-Latin Alpine word, perhaps Ligurian ''*lavanca'',^(Etymonline)^(RHWU)^(Barnhart 1995) though some derive it from Late Latin ''lābīna'' “landslide”, from Latin ''lābī'' “to slide”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU)^(AHD)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A large mass of snow, mixed with earth and ice, sliding swiftly down a mountainside.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The OED's first quotation is from 1765, Etymonline's date is 1763, and Merriam-Webster and Barnhart give 1771.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995) Barnhart also records the earlier forms ''valancas'' (1765) and ''valanche'' (1766).^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word was later extended to falls of rock and landslides,^(Etymonline) and figuratively (by 1850) to any sudden overwhelming rush, as of mail or work.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) In physics it names a cumulative ionization process in which each collision produces more charged particles.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) The verb is recorded from 1855 by Merriam-Webster and from 1872 by the OED and Etymonline.^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1765 – a mass of snow and ice sliding down a mountain.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1850 – transferred and figurative use.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1855 – verb, to descend like an avalanche.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1877 – ''avalanche lily'' and other combinations.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A large mass of snow, ice, earth or rock falling or sliding swiftly down a mountainside.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A sudden, overwhelming quantity or rush of something.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(physics)'' A cumulative process in which accelerated charged particles produce further particles through collisions.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To fall or come down like an avalanche.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To overwhelm or flood.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Townsend avalanche]]

+ * [[avalanche lily]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}