A sudden or gradual slip downward, especially in geology when rock or earth moves down a slope; any backward sliding movement.
Combination of 'down' and 'slip,' both Old English in origin. In geology specifically, the term emerged in the 19th century to describe fault movements and landslides.
Geologists use this term for when entire mountain faces slowly creep downhill—it's happening right now in many places, invisible to us but constantly reshaping landscapes over years and centuries.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.