allochthonous

American

[uh-lok-thuh-nuhs] / əˈlɒk θə nəs /

adjective

Geology.

not formed in the region where found.

allochthonous British

/ əˈlɒkθənəs /

adjective

(of rocks, deposits, etc) found in a place other than where they or their constituents were formed Compare autochthonous

"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

Etymology

Origin of allochthonous

1910–15; allo- + -chthonous, modeled after autochthonous

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

As Marc Cloostermans, a book reviewer for one of the two important Flemish newspapers, puts it: "Sure, we like to read allochthonous writers, but only if they meet our criteria and if they make bold statements we secretly enjoy."

From The Guardian

This article was originally published on All-Geo's blog Highly Allochthonous.

From Scientific American

She noted that her posts at Highly Allochthonous elicit more comments from women than do posts by her male co-bloggers.

From Scientific American

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