colluvium

American  

[kuh-loo-vee-uhm] / kəˈlu vi əm /

noun

Geology.

plural

colluvia, colluviums

1. loose earth material that has accumulated at the base of a hill, through the action of gravity, as piles of talus, avalanche debris, and sheets of detritus moved by soil creep or frost action.

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colluvium British  

/ kəˈluːvɪəm /

noun

1. a mixture of rock fragments from the bases of cliffs

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colluvium Scientific  

/ kə-lo̅o̅′vē-əm /

plural

colluviums

1. A loose deposit of rock debris accumulated through the action of rainwash or gravity at the base of a gently sloping cliff or slope.

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Other Word Forms

• colluvial adjective

Etymology

Origin of colluvium

1935–40; < New Latin, equivalent to Latin colluv-, base of colluere to wash out ( see collutory) + -ium -ium, on the model of Latin alluvium alluvium, dīluvium deluge