noun

erosion

ih-ROH-zhun/ɪˈrəʊʒn/

Gradual wearing away of material.

Rainwater causes erosion as it cuts grooves into the soil bank.

Erosion: rainwater channels cutting grooves through a sloping bare soil bank, sediment washing into stream at bottom, exposed tree roots show soil worn away.

Etymology

eLatinaway

+rosLatinto gnaw

+ionLatinact or process

Erosion names the process of “gnawing away.” That image connects eating away with gradual wearing away: material is consumed or removed rather than lost all at once.

In context

Back to Ancient164:34

grooves are consistent with natural fracturing patterns in granite shaped over time by thermal expansion, water infiltration, and erosion

5 HOURS OF Unexplained Ancient Archaeological Mysteries To Fall Asleep

More examples

Wind erosion slowly strips topsoil from the bare fields.
Coastal erosion threatens several houses near the beach.
Acidic drinks can contribute to the erosion of tooth enamel.

Forms

erode verb — To wear material away little by little.

erosive adjective — Causing material to wear away gradually.

Similar words

abrasion: Specifically involves wearing a surface away by rubbing or scraping.
corrosion: Involves chemical damage to material, especially metal, rather than friction.