tectonics

American  

[tek-ton-iks] / tɛkˈtɒn ɪks /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. the science or art of assembling, shaping, or ornamenting materials in construction; the constructive arts in general.

2. structural geology.

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tectonics British  

/ tɛkˈtɒnɪks /

noun

1. the art and science of construction or building

2. the study of the processes by which the earth's crust has attained its present structure See also plate tectonics

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tectonics Scientific  

/ tĕk-tŏn′ĭks /

1. The branch of geology that deals with the broad structural and deformational features of the outer part of the Earth, their origins, and the relationships between them.

2. See more at plate tectonics

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Etymology

Origin of tectonics

First recorded in 1625–35; tectonic, -ics

Example Sentences

And with no plate tectonics, or wind and rain to wipe this record away, the Moon is a perfect time capsule.

From BBC

Our beautiful encircling topography of mountains and hills is a bowl ready-made by ancient plate tectonics to be filled with smoke and smog.

From Los Angeles Times

"Almost everything unique about the Earth has something to do with plate tectonics at some level," said Fu.

From Science Daily

Mars, by contrast, lacks active tectonics, which helps explain why its river systems are fewer and generally smaller.

From Science Daily

With this discovery, Milos stands out as one of the most important natural sites in the Mediterranean for exploring how tectonics, volcanism, and hydrothermal processes interact beneath the sea.

From Science Daily