Mohorovičić discontinuity

[ moh-haw-roh-vuh-chich dis-kon-tn-oo-i-tee, -yoo-; -hoh- ]

/ ˌmoʊ hɔˈroʊ və tʃɪtʃ ˌdɪs kɒn tnˈu ɪ ti, -ˈyu-; -hoʊ- /

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noun Geology.

the discontinuity between the crust and the mantle of the earth, occurring at depths that average about 22 miles (35 km) beneath the continents and about 6 miles (10 km) beneath the ocean floor.

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Also Mo·ho

[moh-hoh] /ˈmoʊ hoʊ/ .

Origin of Mohorovičić discontinuity

1935–40; named after Andrija Mohorovičić (1857–1936), Croatian geophysicist, who discovered it

Words nearby Mohorovičić discontinuity

Mohism, Moho, Mohock, Mohole, Moholy-Nagy, Mohorovičić discontinuity, Mohr's circle, Mohs scale, mohua, mohur, mohwa

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use Mohorovičić discontinuity in a sentence

Species are definitely discontinuous, and this is the only discontinuity which Nature shows us.
Form and Function|E. S. (Edward Stuart) Russell
The idea of continuous evolution is here maintained in opposition to Comte's and Mill's philosophy of discontinuity.
Evolution in Modern Thought|Ernst Haeckel
In any other way, as far as I can see, there will be a discontinuity at some point on the inhabited part of the earth.
International Conference Held at Washington for the Purpose of Fixing a Prime Meridian and a Universal Day. October, 1884.|Various
His main thesis is the absence of all essential difference and all absolute discontinuity between living and not-living matter.
Parallel Paths|Thomas William Rolleston

But the inspection of these changes give us no right to believe that there has been any discontinuity in natural processes.
Lectures and Essays|Thomas Henry Huxley

British Dictionary definitions for Mohorovičić discontinuity

Mohorovičić discontinuity

/ (ˌməʊhəˈrəʊvɪtʃɪtʃ) /

noun

the boundary between the earth's crust and mantle, across which there is a sudden change in the velocity of seismic wavesOften shortened to: Moho

Word Origin for Mohorovičić discontinuity

C20: named after Andrija Mohorovičić (1857–1936), Croatian geologist

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 Mohorovičić discontinuity

Mohorovičić discontinuity

[ mō′hə-rō′və-chĭch ]

The boundary between the Earth's crust and mantle, located at an average depth of 8 km (5 mi) under the oceans and 32 km (20 mi) under the continents. The velocity of seismic primary waves across this boundary changes abruptly from 6.7 to 7.2 km (4.1 to 4.5 mi) per second in the lower crust to 7.6 to 8.6 km (4.7 to 5.3 mi) per second in the upper mantle. The boundary is estimated to be between 0.2 and 3 km (0.1 and 1.9 mi) thick and is believed to coincide with a change in rock type from basalts (above) to peridotites and dunites (below). It is named after its discoverer, Croatian seismologist Andrija Mohorovičić (1857-1936).