neotectonics

[ nee-oh-tek-ton-iks ]

noun

, (used with a singular verb)

1. the study of geologically recent movements of the earth's crust and measurement of its local effects in order to develop techniques for predicting earthquakes.

Word History and Origins

Origin of neotectonics¹

First recorded in 1950–55; neo- + tectonics ( def ); modeled on Russian neotektonika