avulsion

1 an abrupt change in the course of a stream that forms the boundary between two parcels of land resulting in the loss of part of the land of one landowner and a consequent increase in the land of another

2 a forcible tearing or surgical separation of one body part from another

English

Noun

1. The loss or separation of a body part, either by surgery or due to trauma
2. Movement of soil during a flood, or during a change in the course of a river, especially when a resulting change of land ownership is involved

Derived terms

• avulsive

Avulsion in general refers to a tearing away. Specifically, it can refer to:

• A form of amputation where the extremity is pulled off rather than cut off.
• Avulsion fracture
• Avulsion injury, the removal of all the layers of skin from abrasion
• In the law (also real estate, geology), "avulsion" refers to the sudden loss of land by the action of water.
• In fluvial geomorphology avulsion refers to a rapid migration of the river channel from its previous course, usually during flood events. Avulsions usually occur as a downstream to upstream process via head cutting erosion.