footwall

American  

[foot-wawl] / ˈfʊtˌwɔl /

noun

1. Mining. the top of the rock stratum underlying a vein or bed of ore.

2. Geology. a mass of rock lying beneath a fault plane.

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footwall British  

/ ˈfʊtˌwɔːl /

noun

1. the rocks on the lower side of an inclined fault plane or mineral vein Compare hanging wall

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footwall Scientific  

/ ft′wôl′ /

1. The block of rock lying under an inclined geologic fault plane.

2. See more at fault Compare hanging wall

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Etymology

Origin of footwall

First recorded in 1640–50; foot + wall

Compare meaning

How does footwall compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• hanging wall vs. footwall

Example Sentences

Normal faults form when the hanging wall moves down relative to the footwall.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017

In a dip-slip system, the footwall is below the fault plane and the hanging wall is above the fault plane.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017

If the fault develops in a situation of extension, then it will be a normal fault, because the extension allows the hanging wall to slide down relative to the footwall in response to gravity.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

The terms hanging wall and footwall in the diagrams apply to situations where the fault is not vertical.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

But the hardest rock of the hanging or footwall, however, is seldom as hard as the harder class of ore.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Agricola, Georgius