weathering

[ weth-er-ing ]

noun

1. Architecture. wash ( def 45 ).
2. material used as a weather strip.
3. Geology. the various mechanical and chemical processes that cause exposed rock to decompose. Compare chemical weathering, mechanical weathering.

weathering

/ ˈwɛðərɪŋ /

noun

1. the mechanical and chemical breakdown of rocks by the action of rain, snow, cold, etc

weathering

/ wĕth′ər-ĭng /

1. 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.

weathering

1. 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 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of weathering¹

First recorded in 1655–65; weather + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

He then saw 15 tiles that would need to be repaired and said he could tell the damage was recent because of "weathering and colouration".

From BBC

One such approach, called enhanced rock weathering, involves spreading finely ground silicate rocks, like basalt, on the ground or the ocean, which absorb carbon dioxide from the air as they weather in the rain.

From Salon

The singer - currently sporting hair as orange as Irn Bru - is used to weathering what he refers to as "seismic changes" in his life and turning them into material for songs.

From BBC

Soils in the tropics are typically low in phosphorus due to weathering, and increasing rates of disturbance as well as climbing CO2 levels are expected to make soil nutrients even more scarce.

From Science Daily

All of this comes as the entertainment industry is weathering a devastating contraction caused in large part by overspending in the early days of the streaming era.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• depletion
• depreciation
• erosion