syncline

American

[sing-klahyn, sin-] / ˈsɪŋ klaɪn, ˈsɪn- /

noun

Geology.

a synclinal fold.

syncline British

/ ˈsɪŋklaɪn /

noun

a downward fold of stratified rock in which the strata slope towards a vertical axis Compare anticline

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

syncline Scientific

/ sĭn′klīn′ /

A fold of rock layers that slope upward on both sides of a common low point. Synclines form when rocks are compressed by plate-tectonic forces. They can be as small as the side of a cliff or as large as an entire valley.
Compare anticline

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

synclinal

adjective

Etymology

Origin of syncline

First recorded in 1870–75; back formation from synclinal

Compare meaning

How does syncline compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

anticline vs. syncline

Example Sentences

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Others like Syncline, Savage Grace and Idiot’s Grace are well worth your time, but I find these four particularly compelling.

From New York Times • Sep. 17, 2021

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023