tectonic
[ tek-ton-ik ]
/ tɛkˈtɒn ɪk /
adjective
of or relating to building or construction; constructive; architectural.
Geology.
- pertaining to the structure of the earth's crust.
- referring to the forces or conditions within the earth that cause movements of the crust.
- designating the results of such movements: tectonic valleys.
Words nearby tectonic
Origin of tectonic
1650–60; < Late Latin tectonicus < Greek tektonikós pertaining to construction, equivalent to tekton- (stem of téktōn) carpenter + -ikos -ic
OTHER WORDS FROM tectonic
tec·ton·i·cal·ly, adverbDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for tectonic
British Dictionary definitions for tectonic
tectonic
/ (tɛkˈtɒnɪk) /
adjective
denoting or relating to construction or building
geology
- (of landforms, rock masses, etc) resulting from distortion of the earth's crust due to forces within it
- (of processes, movements, etc) occurring within the earth's crust and causing structural deformation
Derived forms of tectonic
tectonically, adverbWord Origin for tectonic
C17: from Late Latin tectonicus, from Greek tektonikos belonging to carpentry, from tektōn a builder
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Science definitions for tectonic
tectonic
[ tĕk-tŏn′ĭk ]
Relating to the forces involved in plate tectonics or the structural features resulting from them.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.