clastic
Americanadjective
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Biology. breaking up into fragments or separate portions; dividing into parts.
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pertaining to an anatomical model made up of detachable pieces.
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Geology. noting or pertaining to rock or rocks composed of fragments or particles of older rocks or previously existing solid matter; fragmental.
adjective
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(of sedimentary rock, etc) composed of fragments of pre-existing rock that have been transported some distance from their points of origin
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biology dividing into parts
a clastic cell
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able to be dismantled for study or observation
a clastic model of the brain
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of clastic
1870–75; < Greek klastós broken in pieces ( klas- variant stem of klân to break + -tos verbal adjective suffix) + -ic
Vocabulary lists containing clastic
Earth Science - Middle School
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Earth Science - High School
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Rocks and Minerals - Middle School and High School
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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.
Clastic rocks are classified by grain shape, grain size, and sorting.
From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017
Clastic rocks may also include chemically weathered sediment.
From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017
Clastic rocks are classified by grain size; for example sandstone is made of sand-sized particles.
From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017
Clastic sedimentary rocks range from conglomerate to mudstone.
From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015
Clastic sediments, some quite coarse, predominate on shelves and slopes.
From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
