Denudation
/ˌdɪˌnjuːˈdeɪ.ʃən/noun
The removal of covering or surface material, especially by erosion or stripping away.
Did you know?It comes from Latin nudare, “to make naked,” so the word carries the eerie idea of exposing what was meant to stay covered.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
denudare
“to make naked, strip bare”
Late Latin
Latin
denudatio
“a stripping bare, exposing”
Old French
Old French
denudation
“an act of stripping or laying bare”
14th Century
English
denudacioun
“the act of laying bare or stripping off”
Modern English
English
denudation
“removal of covering or surface material, especially by erosion”