massif
a compact portion of a mountain range, containing one or more summits.
a large elevated block of old complex rocks resistant to both erosion and crustal folding.
a band or zone of the earth's crust raised or depressed as a unit and bounded by faults.
Origin of massif
1Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for massif
/ (ˈmæsiːf, French masif) /
a geologically distinct mass of rock or a series of connected masses forming the peaks of a mountain range
a topographically high part of the earth's crust that is bounded by faults and may be shifted by tectonic movements
Origin of massif
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for massif
[ mă-sēf′ ]
A large mountain mass or compact group of connected mountains forming an independent portion of a range. A massif often consists of rocks that are more rigid than the surrounding rocks.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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