tectonic

[tek-ton-ik]

adjective

1. of or relating to building or construction; constructive; architectural.

2. Geology.

   1. pertaining to the structure of the earth's crust.

   2. referring to the forces or conditions within the earth that cause movements of the crust.

   3. designating the results of such movements.

      tectonic valleys.

tectonic

/ tɛkˈtɒnɪk /

adjective

1. denoting or relating to construction or building

2. geology

   1. (of landforms, rock masses, etc) resulting from distortion of the earth's crust due to forces within it

   2. (of processes, movements, etc) occurring within the earth's crust and causing structural deformation

tectonic

1. Relating to the forces involved in plate tectonics or the structural features resulting from them.

Other Word Forms

• tectonically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of tectonic¹

1650–60; < Late Latin tectonicus < Greek tektonikós pertaining to construction, equivalent to tekton- (stem of téktōn ) carpenter + -ikos -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of tectonic¹

C17: from Late Latin tectonicus, from Greek tektonikos belonging to carpentry, from tektōn a builder

Example Sentences

The upper layers of the Earth in the vast Pacific region are split into sections - tectonic plates - which are all moving relative to one another.

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Her sounds careen and resonate in avant-garde ways that feel primal, even tectonic.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Afghanistan is very prone to earthquakes because of its location on top of a number of fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.

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The country is very prone to earthquakes because it is located on top of a number of fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.

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Shallow earthquakes are common in Afghanistan, particularly in the foothills of the Himalayas where tectonic plates are sliding past each other.

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Related Words

• anatomical 
• architectural 
• basic 
• constitutional 
• skeletal