oceanic crust

American  

[oh-shee-an-ik kruhst] / ˌoʊ ʃiˈæn ɪk ˈkrʌst /

noun

1. Geology. the outer layer of Earth's lithosphere that lies beneath the oceans, composed mainly of basalt, about 3–6 miles (5–10 km) thick, and noted as being younger, thinner, and denser than continental crust.

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oceanic crust Scientific  

1. See under crust

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Other Word Forms

• oceanic crustal adjective

Example Sentences

Continental crust: The thick, buoyant type of crust that forms Earth's continents, distinct from the thinner oceanic crust.

From Science Daily • Dec. 4, 2025

But he is hesitant to readily accept outcomes from models of the ancient seafloor, because there is little data revealing what Earth’s oceanic crust was like at that time.

From New York Times • Feb. 7, 2024

He compares the ancient plate to a manta ray: a pair of thin wings of oceanic crust flanking a thick middle of continental crust.

From Science Magazine • Jan. 9, 2024

On Earth, this recycling process usually happens at subduction zones, where the oceanic crust slides beneath the continental crust, warming as it goes down.

From National Geographic • Oct. 12, 2023

She notes that the oceanic crust along mid-ocean ridges is porous, offering plenty of real estate for fluids, nutrients and microbes.

From Scientific American • Aug. 9, 2023