continental slope

noun

, Physical Geography.

1. a steep slope separating a continental shelf and a deep ocean basin.

continental slope

1. The sloping region between a continental shelf and a continental rise. A continental slope is typically about 20 km (12.4 mi) wide, consists of muds and silts, and is often crosscut by submarine canyons.

Word History and Origins

Origin of continental slope¹

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

Rough-toothed dolphins occur in small groups of 50 animals or fewer and are usually found off the edge of the continental slope.

From Project Gutenberg