Noun: erosion i'row-zhun
- (geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it), also figuratively
"The constant erosion of the cliffs by the sea has reshaped the coastline";
- eroding, eating away, wearing, wearing away, degradation
- Condition in which the earth's surface is worn away by the action of water and wind
"Coastal erosion threatened several beachfront properties"
- A gradual decline of something
"after the accounting scandal there was an erosion of confidence in the auditors"
- Wearing away by chemical action
"Acid rain caused erosion of the limestone statues";
- corrosion, corroding
- (medicine) a shallow ulceration or lesion, usually involving skin or epithelial tissue
"The doctor noticed a small erosion on the patient's cornea"
Derived forms: erosions
Type of: chemical action, chemical change, chemical process, decline, diminution, environmental condition, geologic process, geological process
Encyclopedia: Erosion