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alluvial fan
noun
, Physical Geography.
- a fan-shaped alluvial deposit formed by a stream where its velocity is abruptly decreased, as at the mouth of a ravine or at the foot of a mountain.
alluvial fan
noun
- a fan-shaped accumulation of silt, sand, gravel, and boulders deposited by fast-flowing mountain rivers when they reach flatter land
alluvial fan
/ ə-lo̅o̅′vē-əl /
- A fan-shaped mass of sediment, especially silt, sand, gravel, and boulders, deposited by a river when its flow is suddenly slowed. Alluvial fans typically form where a river pours out from a steep valley through mountains onto a flat plain. Unlike deltas, they are not deposited into a body of standing water.
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Word History and Origins
Origin of alluvial fan1
First recorded in 1870–75
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Example Sentences
Half an hour's walk brought us to Vista Alegre, another little clearing on an alluvial fan in the bend of the river.
From Project Gutenberg
Undoubtedly this alluvial fan had been highly prized in this country of terribly steep hills.
From Project Gutenberg
In their place an extensive delta and alluvial fan have been formed.
From Project Gutenberg
Ancient alluvial fan sequences may also be hydrocarbon reservoirs.
From Project Gutenberg
Steep valleys descend from the higher country to join the main valley and at the mouth of every tributary is an alluvial fan.
From Project Gutenberg
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