avalanche

Where does the word "avalanche" come from? It comes from Franco-Provencal lavanche, passing through French before entering English (1760s).

Avalanche’s story begins in Franco-Provencal: lavanche meant “a sliding mass of snow.” A mass of snow and ice sliding rapidly down a mountainside. By 1700s, the word had taken hold in French as avalanche. Reshaped in French for the sudden mountain snowslide. It reached English by 1760s as avalanche. Popularized by Alpine travel writers; the Swiss French form was influenced by 'avaler', to descend. Today, avalanche means a mass of snow, ice, or rock falling rapidly down a mountainside.

1. Stage 1 · Franco-Provencal · medieval lavanche "a sliding mass of snow", a mass of snow and ice sliding rapidly down a mountainside.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1700s avalanche "a sudden mass of falling snow or ice", reshaped in French for the sudden mountain snowslide.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1760s avalanche "a sudden mass of falling snow, ice, or rock", popularized by Alpine travel writers; the Swiss French form was influenced by 'avaler', to descend.