Diluvial

/dɪˈluːviəl/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or caused by a flood or deluge, especially in geological contexts referring to deposits left by ancient floods.

Etymology

From Latin 'diluvium' (flood) plus the adjective suffix '-al.' Originally used in geology and theology to describe materials supposedly left by the biblical flood or other ancient deluges.

Kelly Says

The term 'diluvial' is mostly historical now—geologists stopped using it as they realized that what they'd attributed to one great biblical flood was actually evidence of multiple floods across different time periods.

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