horst

American  

[hawrst] / hɔrst /

noun

1. a portion of the earth's crust, bounded on at least two sides by faults, that has risen in relation to adjacent portions.

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horst British  

/ hɔːst /

noun

1. a ridge of land that has been forced upwards between two parallel faults

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horst Scientific  

/ hôrst /

1. A usually elongated block of rock that is bounded by parallel geologic faults along its two longest sides and has a higher elevation than the rock at its sides. Horsts form where rock is being compressed by tectonic forces.

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Etymology

Origin of horst

1890–95; < German: “heap, cluster,” from Middle High German, Old High German hurst “thicket”

Explanation

A horst is an elevated part of the earth’s crust that rises between two faults. A horst is higher than the land around it. A horst represents a good life lesson — although it’s surrounded by faults, it always rises above. A horst is a part of the earth’s crust that gets pushed upwards between two faults (the geological kind, of course) over time. The French Vosges Mountains and the Black Forest in Germany are examples of particularly large horsts. The word horst means "heap" in German — which makes perfect sense, since it's a heap of land that rises above its surroundings.

Example Sentences

Half-grabens are a one-sided version of a horst and graben, where blocks are tilted by a normal fault on one side, creating an asymmetrical valley-mountain arrangement.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017

Figure 12.14 Depiction of graben and horst structures that form in extensional situations.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

"Gentral horst Pittle" Sirs: You may be interested to read that we received today a letter addressed only: "Gentral horst Pittle."

From Time Magazine Archive

There is no need to labour this question; the horst cannot have existed.

From The Birth-Time of the World and Other Scientific Essays by Joly, John

They were these stealers that affrighted us; I was hard upon them, when they horst their Deer, And I perceive they took me for a keeper.

From The Merry Devil by Shakespeare (spurious and doubtful works)