alluvion

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: al=lu=vi=on

CIDE DICTIONARY

alluvion, n. [F. alluvion, L. alluvio, fr. alluere to wash against; ad + luere, equiv. to lavare, to wash. See Lave.].

•  Wash or flow of water against the shore or bank.  [1913 Webster]
•  An overflowing; an inundation; a flood.  Lyell.  [1913 Webster]
•  Matter deposited by an inundation or the action of flowing water; alluvium.  [1913 Webster]

  "The golden alluvions are there [in California and Australia] spread over a far wider space: they are found not only on the banks of rivers, and in their beds, but are scattered over the surface of vast plains."  [1913 Webster]
•  An accession of land gradually washed to the shore or bank by the flowing of water. See Accretion.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

alluvion, n.
1 the wash of the sea against the shore, or of a river against its banks.
2 a a large overflow of water. b matter deposited by this, esp. alluvium.
3 the formation of new land by the movement of the sea or of a river.

Etymology

F f. L alluvio -onis f. luere wash

ROGET THESAURUS

alluvion

Land

N land, earth, ground, dry land, terra firma, continent, mainland, peninsula, chersonese, delta, tongue of land, neck of land, isthmus, oasis, promontory, highland, coast, shore, scar, strand, beach, playa, bank, lea, seaboard, seaside, seabank, seacoast, seabeach, ironbound coast, loom of the land, derelict, innings, alluvium, alluvion, ancon, riverbank, river bank, levee, soil, glebe, clay, loam, marl, cledge, chalk, gravel, mold, subsoil, clod, clot, rock, crag, acres, real estate, landsman, earthy, continental, midland, coastal, littoral, riparian, alluvial, terrene, landed, predial, territorial, geophilous, ripicolous, ashore, on shore, on land.