erosion

American  

[ih-roh-zhuhn] / ɪˈroʊ ʒən /

noun

1. the act or state of eroding; state of being eroded.

2. the process by which the surface of the earth is worn away by the action of water, glaciers, winds, waves, etc.

3. the gradual decline or disintegration of something.

   Each candidate is blaming the other’s party for the erosion of international trade.

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erosion British  

/ ɪˈrəʊʒən /

noun

1. the wearing away of rocks and other deposits on the earth's surface by the action of water, ice, wind, etc

2. the act or process of eroding or the state of being eroded

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erosion Scientific  

/ ĭ-rō′zhən /

1. The gradual wearing away of land surface materials, especially rocks, sediments, and soils, by the action of water, wind, or a glacier. Usually erosion also involves the transport of eroded material from one place to another, as from the top of a mountain to an adjacent valley, or from the upstream portion of a river to the downstream portion.

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erosion Cultural  

1. A type of weathering in which surface soil and rock are worn away through the action of glaciers, water, and wind.

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Other Word Forms

• antierosion adjective
• erosional adjective
• erosive adjective

Etymology

Origin of erosion

First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin ērōsiōn- (stem of ērōsiō ), derivative of ērōdere “to gnaw, eat away”; erode, -ion

Example Sentences

For instance, conventional agriculture has enabled no-till farming at scale, which helps preserve soil and reduce erosion.

From Salon

Venezuela’s oil sector has suffered a severe loss of skilled workers after years of layoffs, wage erosion, and mass emigration.

From Barron's

She said Malibu’s location at the base of coastal mountains requires the city to safeguard homes from hazards such as landslides and tidal erosion, which takes additional time.

From The Wall Street Journal

The mortality credits, which grow as retirees age, help offset some inflation erosion, although they don’t eliminate it.

From The Wall Street Journal

They conclude that large increases harmed employment prospects for people with limited skills and work history—the same group who have experienced the most erosion in purchasing power since the pandemic.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• corrosion
• decrease
• destruction
• disintegration