lavinliknande

Lavinliknande is a Swedish adjective meaning "avalanche-like" or "resembling an avalanche." It is formed from lavin, meaning "avalanche," and liknande, meaning "similar to" or "like." The term is used across disciplines to describe rapid mass movement or sudden surges that resemble the dynamics of an avalanche.

In geoscience and snow science, lavinliknande describes events where snow, ice, or debris moves downslope in a rapid, cohesive flow. This includes natural snow avalanches, rockfalls that propagate like a slide, and debris flows that entrain material as they travel. The label emphasizes speed, momentum, and the potential to transport large volumes of material over short times.

Figuratively, lavinliknande is used to characterize phenomena outside geology that unfold with similar speed and scale. Examples include an avalanche-like influx of information, questions, or public interest following a triggering event, or a sudden cascade of failures in a system.

Characteristic features often include abrupt onset, high velocity, large volume, and limited warning time, though exact behavior varies with terrain, weather, and material properties.

The term is primarily Swedish; in English, "avalanche-like" is used, and parallel expressions appear in other languages to describe rapid, cascading processes. See also avalanche, landslide, mass movement.