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weathering

[ weth-er-ing ]
/ ˈwɛð ər ɪŋ /
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See synonyms for: weathering / weatherings on Thesaurus.com

noun
Architecture. wash (def. 44).
material used as a weather strip.
Geology. the various mechanical and chemical processes that cause exposed rock to decompose.Compare chemical weathering, mechanical weathering.
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Origin of weathering

First recorded in 1655–65; weather + -ing1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use weathering in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for weathering

weathering
/ (ˈwɛðərɪŋ) /

noun
the mechanical and chemical breakdown of rocks by the action of rain, snow, cold, etc
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 weathering

weathering
[ wĕðər-ĭng ]

Any of the chemical or mechanical processes by which rocks exposed to the weather undergo chemical decomposition and physical disintegration. Although weathering usually occurs at the Earth's surface, it can also occur at significant depths, for example through the percolation of groundwater through fractures in bedrock. It usually results in changes in the color, texture, composition, or hardness of the affected rocks.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for weathering

weathering

The process by which rocks are broken down into small grains and soil. Weathering can happen through rainfall, ice formation, or the action of living things, such as algae and plant roots. It is part of the geological cycle.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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