IPA: /kəˈluːviəl/
KK: /kəˈluːviəl/
Relating to loose material that has been deposited by gravity, often found at the base of slopes or hills.
The geologist studied the colluvial deposits to understand the area's erosion patterns.
Colluvial is formed from "colluvies" (from Latin, meaning a mass of earth or debris) and the suffix "-al" (meaning pertaining to). The word describes something that pertains to or is related to a mass of earth or debris, typically in a geological context.
Think of 'colluvies' as a mass of earth, and remember that 'colluvial' refers to something related to that mass.