batholith

[ bath-uh-lith ]

noun

, Geology.

1. a large body of intrusive igneous rock believed to have crystallized at a considerable depth below the earth's surface; pluton.

batholith

/ ˈbæθəˌlaɪt; ˈbæθəlɪθ /

noun

1. a very large irregular-shaped mass of igneous rock, esp granite, formed from an intrusion of magma at great depth, esp one exposed after erosion of less resistant overlying rocks

batholith

/ băth′ə-lĭth′ /

1. A large mass of igneous rock that has intruded and melted surrounding strata at great depths. Batholiths usually have a surface area of over 100 km ² (38 mi ²).

Derived Forms

• ˌbathoˈlithic, adjective

Other Words From

• batho·lithic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of batholith¹

First recorded in 1900–05; batho- + -lith

Example Sentences

Cornwall has a major advantage when it comes to alternative energy production: It sits atop a 280-million-year-old granite mass known as the Cornubian batholith, which is geologically ideal for producing geothermal energy.

From New York Times

The team’s research indicates the Spirit Lake batholith served as a plug in the Earth’s crust, diverting the magma.

From Seattle Times

Pink granite batholith circles Ensign Lake, and prehistoric “volcano bombs” — chunks of rock blown off the side of a volcano — lie at the bottom of Kekekabic Lake.

From New York Times

Monazite, together with a small amount of gold, is also known in the stream gravels of the Boise Basin, Idaho, where a large granitic batholith evidently carries the mineral sparsely distributed throughout.

From Project Gutenberg

To capture that heat, water is pumped down from the surface through fissures in the batholith.

From New York Times