lithosphere

[ lith-uh-sfeer ]

/ ˈlɪθ əˌsfɪər /

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noun Geology.

the solid portion of the earth (distinguished from atmosphere, hydrosphere).

the crust and upper mantle of the earth.

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Also called ge·o·sphere

[jee-uh-sfeer] /ˈdʒi əˌsfɪər/ .

Origin of lithosphere

First recorded in 1885–90; litho- + -sphere

OTHER WORDS FROM lithosphere

lith·o·spher·ic

[lith-uh-sfer-ik], /ˌlɪθ əˈsfɛr ɪk/, adjective

Words nearby lithosphere

lithoprint, lithops, lithoscope, lithosere, lithosol, lithosphere, Lithostat, lithostatic, lithostratigraphy, lithotomy, lithotomy position

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use lithosphere in a sentence

As the pieces of lithosphere move apart, new seafloor continues to form between them, called “seafloor spreading.”
How the Earth-shaking theory of plate tectonics was born|Carolyn Gramling|January 13, 2021|Science News
Above the metallic core of the planet, the lithosphere consists exclusively of fluorides of the metals.
Uller Uprising|Henry Beam Piper, John D. Clark and John F. Carr
By their action upon the lithosphere they have produced a third envelope,—the mantle of rock waste.
The Elements of Geology|William Harmon Norton
The dark, cold abysses of the ocean are far less affected by change than any other portion of the surface of the lithosphere.
The Elements of Geology|William Harmon Norton

All the tectonic movements of the solid nucleus produce changes in the mobile lithosphere.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 16, Slice 7|Various
These igneous rocks were consolidated either upon the surface of the lithosphere or in its interior.
The Principles of Stratigraphical Geology|J. E. Marr

British Dictionary definitions for lithosphere

lithosphere

/ (ˈlɪθəˌsfɪə) /

noun

the rigid outer layer of the earth, having an average thickness of about 75 km and comprising the earth's crust and the solid part of the mantle above the asthenosphere

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

Scientific definitions for lithosphere

lithosphere

[ lĭth′ə-sfîr′ ]

The outer part of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle. It is about 55 km (34 mi) thick beneath the oceans and up to about 200 km (124 mi) thick beneath the continents. The high velocity with which seismic waves propagate through the lithosphere suggests that it is completely solid. Compare asthenosphere atmosphere hydrosphere.

Cultural definitions for lithosphere

lithosphere

[ (lith-uh-sfeer) ]

The outer layer of the Earth, comprising the crust and the upper part of the mantle. The lithosphere is about sixty miles thick.