molasse en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /məˈlæs/ (UK, US)
Etymology
From French molasse, a kind of sandstone, from Latin mollis (“soft”).
Meanings
-
(countable, uncountable) A shallow deposit of sandstone, shale and conglomerate in front of a rising mountain chain.
The molasse provides a record of the wearing down of the Alpine range at a late stage; unlike the Flysch, it is largely non-marine.
2004, Richard Fortey, The Earth, Folio Society, published 2011, page 109:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| molasses | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Translations (8)
fr molasse (rock deposit) · es molasa (rock deposit) · ru мола́сса (rock deposit) · it molassa (rock deposit) · sh molàsa (rock deposit) · el μολάσα (rock deposit) · cs molasa (rock deposit) · de Molasse (rock deposit)