mudflow

[ muhd-floh ]

noun

, Geology.

1. a flow of mixed earth debris containing a large amount of water.
2. the dried-out product of such a flow.

mudflow

/ ˈmʌdˌfləʊ /

noun

1. geology a flow of soil or fine-grained sediment mixed with water down a steep unstable slope

mudflow

/ mŭd′flō′ /

1. A downhill movement of soft, wet, unconsolidated earth and debris, made fluid by rain or melted snow and often building up great speed.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mudflow¹

First recorded in 1900–05; mud + flow

Example Sentences

The fossilization process starts with storm-induced mudflows that sweep up the delicate animals and bury them in the seafloor in low oxygen conditions.

From Singularity Hub 

Seattle is partly built on one such mudflow, created only several thousand years ago.

From The Daily Beast