alluvial

[ uh-loo-vee-uhl ]

adjective

1. of or relating to alluvium.

noun

1. alluvial soil.
2. Australia. gold-bearing alluvial soil.

alluvial

/ əˈluːvɪəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to alluvium

noun

1. another name for alluvium
2. alluvium containing any heavy mineral, esp gold

Other Words From

• nonal·luvi·al adjective noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of alluvial¹

First recorded in 1795–1805; alluvi(um) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

In Hatay, the worst-hit province, many settlements there were built on risky alluvial ground.

From Seattle Times

So, farmers have long relied on the shallow Alluvial Aquifer for water in the scorching summers.

From Seattle Times

The forested ridges catch rain, and water percolates into the canyon’s alluvial soil, where the trees’ roots tap into shallow groundwater.

From Los Angeles Times

From Zabriskie Point, visitors can survey a wonderland of rock formations and alluvial flow, and it’s just about impossible to tell what happened last week from what happened last century.

From Los Angeles Times

“The weaker alluvial sediments can amplify shaking, and mountains are vulnerable to landsliding, including along the roads that lead to mountain villages.”

From National Geographic

Related Words

• carnal
• mundane
• physical
• temporal
• terrestrial
• worldly