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pluvial

 - 4 dictionary results

plu⋅vi⋅al

  [ploo-vee-uhl]
Use pluvial in a Sentence
–adjective
1. of or pertaining to rain, esp. much rain; rainy.
2. Geology. occurring through the action of rain.
–noun
3. Geology. a rainy period formerly regarded as coeval with a glacial age, but now recognized as episodic and, in the tropics, as characteristic of interglacial ages.
Origin:
1650–60; < L pluviālis, equiv. to pluvi(a) rain + -ālis -al 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To pluvial
plu·vi·al   (plōō'vē-əl)   
adj.  

  1. Of or relating to rain; rainy.

  2. Geology Marked or formed by abundant rainfall: pluvial periods; a pluvial lake.

n.   Geology
An extended period of abundant rainfall, especially such a period of the Pleistocene Epoch.

[Latin pluviālis, from pluvia, rain; see pluvious.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

pluvial 
1656, "of or pertaining to rain," from Fr. pluvial (12c.), from L. pluvialis "pertaining to rain," from (aqua) pluvia "rain (water)," from fem. of pluvius "rainy," from plovere "to rain," from PIE base *pleu- "to flow, to swim" (cf. Skt. plavate "navigates, swims;" Gk. plynein "to wash," plein "to navigate;" O.E. flowan "to flow").
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Science Dictionary
pluvial   (pl'vē-əl)  Pronunciation Key 
Relating to or caused by rain.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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