alluvial

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Pertaining to the soil deposited by a stream.

   1914, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados I am a working engineer from the Mount Magdalena district of Coolgardie. I don't want to take up your time with outside details so I will only say that about two years ago I had an opportunity of acquiring a share in a very promising claim—gold, you understand, both reef and alluvial.

2. 2
   adj

   of or relating to alluvium

3. 3
   noun

   A deposition of sediment over a long period of time by a river; an alluvial layer.

4. 4
   noun

   Alluvial soil; specifically, in Australia, gold-bearing alluvial soil.

From Latin alluvius (“alluvial”), from alluviō (“an overflowing, inundation”), from alluō (“wash against”). By surface analysis, alluvium + -ial.

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