Erosion vs. Ulcer — What's the Difference?

In earth science, erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location. Erosion is distinct from weathering which involves no movement.

An ulcer is a discontinuity or break in a bodily membrane that impedes normal function of the affected organ. According to Robins's pathology, "ulcer is the breach of the continuity of skin, epithelium or mucous membrane caused by sloughing out of inflamed necrotic tissue." Common forms of ulcers recognized in medicine include: Ulcer (dermatology), a discontinuity of the skin or a break in the skin.

The group of natural processes, including weathering, dissolution, abrasion, corrosion, and transportation, by which material is worn away from the earth's surface.

A lesion of the skin or a mucous membrane such as the one lining the stomach or duodenum that is accompanied by formation of pus and necrosis of surrounding tissue, usually resulting from inflammation or ischemia.

The superficial destruction of bodily tissue by friction, pressure, ulceration, or trauma.

A corrupting condition or influence.

The process of eroding or the condition of being eroded

(pathology) An open sore of the skin, eyes or mucous membrane, often caused by an initial abrasion and generally maintained by an inflammation and/or an infection.

(uncountable) The result of having been worn away or eroded, as by a glacier on rock or the sea on a cliff face.

(pathology) Peptic ulcer.

(uncountable) The changing of a surface by mechanical action, friction, thermal expansion contraction, or impact.

(figurative) Anything that festers and corrupts like an open sore; a vice in character.

The gradual loss of something as a result of an ongoing process.

A solution of continuity in any of the soft parts of the body, discharging purulent matter, found on a surface, especially one of the natural surfaces of the body, and originating generally in a constitutional disorder; a sore discharging pus. It is distinguished from an abscess, which has its beginning, at least, in the depth of the tissues.

(uncountable) Destruction by abrasive action of fluids.

Fig.: Anything that festers and corrupts like an open sore; a vice in character.

One of two fundamental operations in morphological image processing from which all other morphological operations are derived.

To ulcerate.

(dentistry) Loss of tooth enamel due to non-bacteriogenic chemical processes.

A circumscribed inflammatory and often suppurating lesion on the skin or an internal mucous surface resulting in necrosis of tissue

(medicine) A shallow ulceration or lesion, usually involving skin or epithelial tissue.

(math) In morphology, a basic operation (denoted ⊖); see Erosion (morphology).

The act or operation of eroding or eating away.

The state of being eaten away; corrosion; canker.

The wearing away of the earth's surface by any natural process. The chief agent of erosion is running water; minor agents are glaciers, the wind, and waves breaking against the coast.

A gradual reduction or lessening as if by an erosive force; as, erosion of political support due to scandal; erosion of buying power by inflation.

(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)

Condition in which the earth's surface is worn away by the action of water and wind

A gradual decline of something;

Erosion by chemical action