1. sediment (sand, gravel, or silt) deposited by meltwater streams flowing from a glacier or ice sheet
Usage: geology; also called glacial outwash

1. to wash out or away; to remove by washing
Usage: less common than the noun sense

Examples

• The outwash plain extended for miles beyond the glacier's terminus.
• Geologists studied the composition of the outwash to understand the glacier's history.
• The river's outwash deposits formed fertile soil in the valley.
• Heavy rains began to outwash the sediment from the construction site.
• The outwash material consisted primarily of sand and fine gravel.
• Glacial outwash is an important source of groundwater in many regions.