avalanche
pronunciation
How to pronounce avalanche in British English:
UK [ˈævəlɑːnʃ]
How to pronounce avalanche in American English:
US [ˈævəlæntʃ]
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- Noun:
- a slide of large masses of snow and ice and mud down a mountain
- a sudden appearance of an overwhelming number of things
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- Verb:
- of snow masses in the mountains
Word Origin
- avalanche
- avalanche: [18] Not surprisingly, avalanche originated in the Alps. The French dialect of Savoy, an area near the Italian border in the western Alps, had a term lavantse, apparently derived from a Vulgar Latin *labanca (whence Provençal lavanca). Through association with the verb avaler ‘descend’ (see DOWN), this underwent metathesis (transposition of l and v) to produce in the Romansh language of Switzerland avalantze, which was borrowed into French as avalanche.
- avalanche (n.)
- 1763, from French avalanche (17c.), from Romansch (Swiss) avalantze "descent," altered (by metathesis of -l- and -v-, probably influenced by Old French avaler "to descend, go down") from Savoy dialect lavantse, from Provençal lavanca "avalanche," perhaps from a pre-Latin Alpine language (the suffix -anca suggests Ligurian). As a verb, from 1872.
Example
- 1. The avalanche ended up stopping about 200 metres before us .
- 2. An avalanche of panic ensued .
- 3. If it was chaotic , each avalanche could swamp the brain .
- 4. The avalanche provides the best combination of utility and versatility of any pickup cr has tested .
- 5. Despite the avalanche of competition it 'll face , it still looks pretty cool .