normal fault

[ nawr-muhl fawlt ]

nounGeology.
  1. a fault along an inclined plane in which the upper side or hanging wall appears to have moved downward with respect to the lower side or footwall (opposed to reverse fault).

Origin of normal fault

1
First recorded in 1875–80
  • Also called grav·i·ty fault [grav-i-tee fawlt] /ˈgræv ɪ ti ˌfɔlt/ .

Words Nearby normal fault

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use normal fault in a sentence

  • A normal fault with a hade of 15°, the original fault scarp remaining.

    The Elements of Geology | William Harmon Norton

Scientific definitions for normal fault

normal fault

  1. A geologic fault in which the hanging wall has moved downward relative to the footwall. Normal faults occur where two blocks of rock are pulled apart, as by tension. Compare reverse fault. See Note and illustration at fault.

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