inundation
UK[ˌɪn.ʌnˈdeɪ.ʃən]US[ˌɪn.ʌnˈdeɪ.ʃən]
n
a large amount of water that covers an area that is usually dry; a flood.
n
a situation in which a large number of people or things arrive somewhere at the same time.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
und
ation
in
in, into
und
wave
ation
noun suffix
Etymology
the word "inundation" originates from the latin verb inundare, meaning "to overflow, to flood". this verb itself is a compound of the prefix in- ("in, into") and the root unda ("wave"). the literal sense is "to flow into with waves". the term entered middle english via old french, retaining its core meaning of a flood or deluge of water. over time, its usage expanded metaphorically to describe any overwhelming arrival or quantity, such as an inundation of information or requests, preserving the original concept of being covered or overwhelmed by a flowing mass.
Analysis
Structure: in (in, into) + und (wave) + ation (noun suffix)
- in: a latin prefix meaning "in, into, on, upon".
- und: from latin unda, meaning "a wave".
- ation: a latin-derived noun suffix forming words denoting an action or process, or its result.
Examples
the heavy rains caused the inundation of several coastal villages.
the company's customer service department faced an inundation of complaints following the product recall.
after the article was published, the author received an inundation of emails from interested readers.