nappe
9.9
A sheet of water that flows over a waterfall or weir
- noun
- /næp/
:
cortina de agua
- As the river reached the weir, a thick nappe flowed over the edge, mesmerizing everyone who watched.
Examples
-
The nappe of water cascading over the waterfall created a stunning display of rainbows.
-
The photographer captured the breathtaking moment when the nappe glistened in the sunlight at the falls.
-
Here, he seriously questioned how and why the great quantity of snow and ice comprising the vast nappe or Mer de Glace had accumulated in the first place upon a supposedly level landscape.
Academic text (2018)
Synonyms
to sheet
vsnappe
1
8.0
To fall heavily in a wide stream, as rain or snow
refers to a broad layer of water flowing over an edge like a waterfall
How Forceful
Surface Forms
Etymology
The water meaning of nappe comes from the same French nappe and Latin mappa meaning 'cloth' or 'sheet'. Think of water falling like a smooth 'curtain' or cloth over a dam — that image explains why a layer of flowing water is called a nappe.