Past tense of avalanche: to fall or descend rapidly in large quantities, like snow tumbling down a mountainside.
From 'avalanche' (from French 'avalanche,' possibly from Romansh 'lavantcha' or Savoyard dialect) plus the past tense suffix '-ed.' The noun 'avalanche' entered English in the 18th century from Alpine regions.
Avalanches can trigger themselves—a tiny rockfall causes an avalanche, which causes a larger avalanche, creating a chain reaction scientists call 'impact-triggered collapse,' a principle also found in nuclear chain reactions and social media pile-ons.
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